Hemispheric Brain Dominance and Mathematics Performance of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology Students

Abstract

This study was anchored in Split Brain Theory of Sperry (1974), to find the significance of the difference in the mathematics performance when grouped according to hemispheric dominance (HD) of the students of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology, Iloilo City. The participants’ HD was determined by the use of researcher-made 46-item Hemispheric Brain Dominance Test, and the math performance was based on their average final grades in the Math classes. Findings reveal that the level of mathematics performance as a whole was “fair”. When grouped according to HD, the right-brain dominant have “conditional” math performance, while the left-brain dominant have “fair” math performance. As to the course, the BSM and the BSEd participants have “good” math performance while, the BSEE, BSECE, and BSMEAE participants have “conditional” math performance. When grouped as to gender, the males have “conditional” math performance, while the females have “fair” math performance. As to gender, both male and female have more left-brain dominant than right-brain dominant participants. Significant differences existed in the level of mathematics performance when the participants were grouped according to HD, course, and gender. The study concluded that the left-brain dominant students performed significantly better than the right-brain dominant students. Keywords: Mathematics, hemispheric brain dominance, mathematics performance, Philippines