VOL22.NO. 4, 1996 The Factorial Structure of Schizotypy: Part II. Cognitive Asymmetry, Arousal, Handedness

We replicate relations between fac-tors of schizotypy and cognitive asymmetry patterns assessed with recognition memory for words ver-sus faces, and with arousal levels assessed with self-report scales. The withdrawn factor or subscales of loneliness and constricted affect were associated as before with a right hemisphere, face advantage asymmetry, as was physical anhedo-nia in males. Subjects with the op-posite asymmetry and those high on the active factor—eccentricity and odd speech—had high self-report activation scores. These relations better characterized males who also had higher scores on the asymme-try-related factors. Females had higher scores on the third unreality factor—unusual perceptions and odd beliefs—which showed incon-sistent relations with cognitive asymmetry. Non-right-handedness was associated with both hemi-sphere asymmetry patterns suggest-ing that the structural mechanism responsible for non-right-handed-ness is associated with bidirectional hemispheric functional imbalance. The results support the importance of patterns of functional asymmetry in underpinning different aspects of schizotypy