Leftward cradling bias in males and its relation to autistic traits and lateralised emotion processing

Abstract

Recent research has identified a leftward cradling bias in males, although males are much less lateralised than females. It has been suggested that on an individual level this leftward bias is strengthened as males acquire caregiving experience. Furthermore, recent explanations propose that leftward cradling bias is facilitated by right-hemispheric specialisation for processing facial emotions. Some have suggested that it is specifically facilitated by right-hemispheric specialisation for basic social-affective processes that underlie our capacity to relate to others. The present study investigated male cradling bias in relation to these three factors. Ninety-eight right-handed males aged 18-56 years were observed across four separate trials of an imaginary cradling scenario. Caregiving experience, attachment style, hemispheric lateralisation for processing facial emotion, and autistic traits were measured. A leftward cradling bias was observed in 72.4% of participants and was not contingent on caregiving experience. Regression analyses revealed that right-hemispheric lateralisation for processing facial emotions and autistic traits were both significant predictors of leftward cradling, while attachment style did not predict leftward cradling. Overall, our findings indicate that the leftward cradling bias in males is not contingent on previous caregiving experience and provide further support for right-hemispheric specialisation and basic social-affective processing explanations.

Keywords: Autistic traits; Hemispheric asymmetry; Lateral biases; Leftward cradling bias; Social touch.