EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION STRESS AND OTHER FACTORS ON MALES AND FEMALES

<p>Several studies have reported a strong bias in both human and non-human species for</p><p>cradling their infants to the left side of the body. Most studies suggest that the main</p><p>reason this phenomenon is the predominance of the right hemisphere of the brain for the</p><p>processing of emotions and its transference through brain laterality to the left side of</p><p>the body. Many other variables including handedness footedness stress and depression</p><p>have also been found to have some effect on cradling side.</p><p>However no study has been published for an Arab population. Given the strong</p><p>religious and cultural belief of most Arabs that only the right hand should be used for</p><p>most daily tasks this study investigated the affect on cradling side of this habit in</p><p>addition to the factors named above.</p><p>369 Saudi citizens took part in this study. 234 lived in Saudi Arabia and 135 had lived</p><p>in the UK for five or more years. 267 were women and 102 were men. Each answered a</p><p>questionnaire which asked about their 'preferred' cradling side and then the 102 men</p><p>were videotaped spontaneously cradling a real infant and an infant-like doll.</p><p>Unfortunately only the male sample could be videotaped due to restrictions on filming</p><p>females in Saudi Arabia.</p><p>The results confirmed those of previous studies by showing a very strong bias to leftside</p><p>cradling. No difference was found between males and females in cradling a doll or</p><p>between the Saudi-based sample and the UK-based sample but the bias was</p><p>significantly reduced in men. Apart from the influence of gender the factors that</p><p>reduced the cradling bias for a real infant were found to be lack of experience of</p><p>parenthood depression stress and greater age of the infant. In cradling a doll the most</p><p>influential variables were handedness footedness and depression.</p>