This study investigated the hypothesis that artists are characterized both by strengths in spatial visualization and problems in reading. In addition, we investigated whether such a profile is most likely to describe nonright-handed artists. A test of spatial visualization ability and a self-report questionnaire assessing reading problems were administered to students majoring in the visual arts. Art students were compared to those majoring in other spatial fields (mathematics and science) and to those majoring in verbal fields that do not call for spatial skill (humanities and social sciences). While both art and mathematics/science students excelled in spatial visualization relative to those in verbal fields, the mathematics/science students outperformed the art students. Nonright-handers did not differ from right-handers in spatial ability. However, it was the nonright-handers among the artists who were most likely to report reading difficulties. Results suggest that individuals choose spatial fields because they possess the relevant spatial visualization abilities; however, nonright-handed individuals with reading difficulties may also go into art in part by default, to avoid fields which require extensive reading and writing.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BenbowC.StanleyJ.KirkM., and ZondermanA., Assortative Marriage and the Familiarity of Cognitive Abilities in Families of Extremely Gifted Students, Intelligence, 7, pp. 153–161, 1983.
2.
D'AmicoC. and KimuraD., Evidence of Subgroups of Adextrals based on Speech Lateralization and Cognitive Patterns, Research Bulletin No. 664, Department of Psychology, University of Western, Ontario, 1987.
3.
HermelinB. and O'ConnorN., Spatial Representations in Mathematically and in Artistically Gifted Children, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 56, pp. 50–157, 1986.
4.
GetzelsJ. and CsikszentmihalyiM., The Creative Vision: A Longitudinal Study of Problem Finding in Art, Wiley, New York, 1976.
5.
LinnM. and PetersenA., Emergence and Characterization of Sex Differences in Spatial Ability: A Meta-analysis, Child Development, 56, pp. 1479–1498, 1985.
6.
GeschwindN. and GalaburdaA., Cerebral Lateralization: Biological Mechanisms, Associations, and Pathology, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1987.
7.
GordonH., Cognitive Asymmetry in Dyslexic Families, Neuropsychologia, 18, pp. 645–656, 1980.
8.
WinnerE. and CaseyM. B., Cognitive Profiles of Artists, in Emerging Visions: Contemporary Approaches to the Aesthetic Process, CupchikG. and LaszloJ. (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, in press.
9.
BenbowC., Neuropsychological Perspectives on Mathematical Talent, in The Exceptional Brain: Neuropsychology of Talent and Special Abilities, OblerL. and FeinD. (eds.), Guilford, New York, 1988.
10.
CaseyM. B.WinnerE.BrabeckM., and SullivanK., Visual-spatial Abilities in Art, Maths, and Science Majors: Effects of Sex, Family Handedness, and Spatial Experience, in Lines of Thinking: Reflections on the Psychology of Thought, (Vol. 2) GilhoolyK.KeaneM.LogieR., and ErdosG. (eds.), Wiley, New York, 1990.
11.
GardnerH., Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Basic Books, New York, 1983.
12.
MaccobyE. and JacklinC., The Psychology of Sex Differences, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1974.
13.
KrutetskiiV., The Psychology of Mathematical Abilities in School Children, TellerJ., trans., University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1976.
14.
MebertC. and MichelG., Handedness in Artists, in Neuropsychology of Left-handedness, HerronJ. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
15.
PetersonJ., Left-handedness: Differences between Student Artists and Scientists, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 48, pp. 961–962, 1979.
16.
RosenblattE. and WinnerE., Is Superior Visual Memory a Component of Superior Drawing Ability?, in The Exceptional Brain: Neuropsychology of Talent and Special Abilities, OblerO. and FeinD. (eds)., Guilford, New York, 1988.
17.
AnnettM. and KilshawD., Mathematical Ability and Lateral Asymmetry, Cortex, 18, pp. 547–568, 1982.
18.
KolataG., Math Genius May Have a Hormal Basis, Science, 222, p. 1312, 1983.
19.
PetersonJ. and LanskyL., Left-handedness among Architects: Some Facts and Speculation, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 38, pp. 547–550, 1974.
20.
PetersonJ. and LanskyL., Left-handedness among Architects: Partial replication and some new data, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 45, pp. 1216–1218, 1977.
21.
PetersonJ. and LanskyL., Success in Architecture: Handedness and/or Visual Thinking, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 50, pp. 1139–1143, 1980.
22.
McLeanJ. and CiurczakF., Bimanual Dexterity in Major League Baseball Players: A Statistical Study, New England Journal of Medicine, 2, pp. 1278–1279, 1982.
23.
FennellE.SatzP.Van Den AbellT.BowersD., and ThomasR., Visuospatial Competence, Handedness, and Cerebral Dominance, Brain and Language, 5, pp. 206–214, 1978.
24.
HardyckC.PetrinovichL., and GoldmanR., Lefthandedness and Cognitive Deficit, Cortex, 12, pp. 266–279, 1976.
25.
McKeeverW. and Van DeventerA., Visual and Auditory Language Processing Asymmetries: Influences of Handedness, Familial Sinistrality, and Sex, Cortex, 13, pp. 225–241, 1977.
26.
BermanA., The Problem of Assessing Cerebral Dominance and its Relationship to Intelligence, Cortex, 7, pp. 372–386, 1971.
27.
MillerE., Handedness and the Pattern of Human Ability, British Journal of Psychology, 62, pp. 111–112, 1971.
28.
LevyJ., Possible Basis for the Evolution of Lateral Specialization of the Human Brain, Nature, 224, pp. 624–625, 1969.
29.
LevyJ., Psychological Implications of Bilateral Asymmetry, in Hemisphere Function in the Human Brain, DimondS. and BeaumontJ. (eds.), Paul Elek, London, 1974.
30.
CaseyM. B. and BrabeckM., Exceptions to the Male Advantage on a Spatial Task: Family Handedness and College Major as Factors Identifying Women who Excel, Neuropsychologia, 27, pp. 689–696, 1990.
31.
EkstromR.FrenchJ.HarmanH., and DermenD., Kit of Factor-referenced Cognitive Tests, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, 1976.
32.
OldfieldR., The Assessment and Analysis of Handedness: The Edinburgh Inventory, Neuropsychologia, 9, pp. 97–113, 1971.
33.
BurnettS.LaneD., and DrattL., Spatial Ability and Handedness, Intelligence, 6, pp. 57–69, 1982.
34.
GlassG.McGrawB., and SmithM., Meta-analysis in Social Research, Sage, Beverly Hills, California, 1981.
35.
CohenJ., Statistical Power: Analogies for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, Academic Press, New York, 1977.
36.
WinerB., Statistical Principles in Experimental Design, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1969.
