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Family handedness in three generations predicted by the right shift theory

Family handedness in three generations predicted by the right shift theory Family handedness in three generations predicted by the right shift theory BY MARIAN ANNETT Department of Applied Social Studies, Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry This paper describes new data on handedness in families from mature students who could report not only their own, their parents and siblingspreferences, as in previous studies (Ramaley, 1913; Chamberlain, 1928; Rife, 1940; Annett, 1973) but also the handedness of their children. Estimates of heritability were made for the earlier series (Annett, 1973,1978a) on the assumption that handedness, as a continuously distributed variable, might be affected by polygenic influences. Heritabilities are given here for the new series to demonstrate the similarity with earlier findings and also as a means of examining the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. The main purpose of the paper, however, is to show that the distribution of left-handed children in family types is predictable for this new data, as for the older data (Annett, 1978b) on a single gene interpretation of the right shift theory of handedness (Annett, 1972). Genetic theories of the causes of human handedness (reviewed by Annett, 1978a) have usually treated left-handedness as a discrete variable attributable to a recessive gene. Family distributions do not fit a straightforward interpretation http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annals of Human Genetics Wiley

Family handedness in three generations predicted by the right shift theory

Annals of Human Genetics , Volume 42 (4) – May 1, 1979

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References (27)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 1979 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0003-4800
eISSN
1469-1809
DOI
10.1111/j.1469-1809.1979.tb00681.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Family handedness in three generations predicted by the right shift theory BY MARIAN ANNETT Department of Applied Social Studies, Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry This paper describes new data on handedness in families from mature students who could report not only their own, their parents and siblingspreferences, as in previous studies (Ramaley, 1913; Chamberlain, 1928; Rife, 1940; Annett, 1973) but also the handedness of their children. Estimates of heritability were made for the earlier series (Annett, 1973,1978a) on the assumption that handedness, as a continuously distributed variable, might be affected by polygenic influences. Heritabilities are given here for the new series to demonstrate the similarity with earlier findings and also as a means of examining the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. The main purpose of the paper, however, is to show that the distribution of left-handed children in family types is predictable for this new data, as for the older data (Annett, 1978b) on a single gene interpretation of the right shift theory of handedness (Annett, 1972). Genetic theories of the causes of human handedness (reviewed by Annett, 1978a) have usually treated left-handedness as a discrete variable attributable to a recessive gene. Family distributions do not fit a straightforward interpretation

Journal

Annals of Human GeneticsWiley

Published: May 1, 1979

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