Parietal Laterality and Violence

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To test whether laterality of parietal lobe cerebral functioning might relate to a history of violent behavior, a sample of 33 male and female, right-handed juvenile offenders, divided into less and more violent, each performed the Weights Test. A lateralization index (left-hand score divided by right-hand score) formed the dependent variable. Differences for sexes and ages, but not ethnicities, required corrections. Poorer right- than left-parietal function related positively with the violence of past crimes. A sample of 18 additional [human] subjects replicated the findings. A concept of cerebral area-appropriateness was discussed, so that when the task-appropriate area performs less well than a less-appropriate areas performs less well than a less-appropriate area, a dysfuncton which may relate to dyscontrol and to violent behavior may be inferred.