Abstract In order to compare the handedness occurrence in academic sections (B.A., M.A., Ph.D. faculty members) a sample of 683 people (519 female, 164 male) with the mean age of 26/7 and the age range of 18-70 , from two universities (a state university and a non-state university) with the three academic levels: Tehran`s Payam-e-Noor universities (Tehran Payam-e-Noor centre, higher education centre and faculty members groups) and Tonekabon Islamic Azad university, with the random clustering method were selected participants were evaluated via using Edinburgh handedness inventory (Alipoor & Agah Haris, 2007). The occurrence ratios in academic levels (B.A. 6%, M.A. 7/05%, and Ph.D. 9%) showed that in Ph.D. and M.A. academic levels there was an increase in the prevalence of left-handedness. ‘The test of ratios comparison’ showed that differences of prevalence amount in the B.A. level and the prevalence percent of the left-handedness in the population was significant (Z=4/30, N=455, Zα0/01=2/32), but the comparison was not significant in Ph.D. and M.A. levels. Also results indicate that: a) the ambidexterity in B.A. and Ph.D. levels did not have meaningful differences, but the ratio in the M.A. women was higher than men, the B.A. and the Ph.D. levels and other kinds of handedness b) the comparison of perfect right handedness ratios between women and men in all academic sections-regardless of considering handedness direction-showed that the percentage of lateralization is more prevalent in men. However, perfect left- handedness, relative left-handedness and right-handedness ratios did not differ with each other c) Most bio-psychological problems, for example tension headache & allergies, in ambidextrous people were more than other kinds of handedness and that they were related only to women and d) assessment of scientific- academic production in Ph.D. level showed that right-handed men had more scientific articles and books than the other sex and handedness groups.

Keywords: handedness, academic level, sex difference, scientific-academic production

Full-Text [PDF 1304 kb]   (3360 Downloads)