Handedness and creativity the central theme in National Science Weekend

October 4-5 is the National Science Weekend (Weekend van de Wetenschap), organized by the National Foundation for Science and Technology with support of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the faculties FWN and GMW. The central topic this year is the research by prof. Ton Groothuis and drs. Nele Zickert (PhD Behavioural Biology, CBN) and Dr. Reint Geuze (Clinical and developmental neuropsychology, faculty GMW) on the nature, function and evolution of lateralization of brain and behavior. Focus is on the testing of some wide spread myths, assumptions and highly debated issues related to handedness: are left-handers more creative and right handers more rational? Do they differ in competitiveness? Is handedness linked to health and disease?

Opening of this event is on October 1st in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, in the presence of Sander Dekker, State Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. On this day, as well as in the weekend thereafter lectures will be given in the Bernoulliborg, and the public can participate in some tests In these locations and in the University museum Groningen and the Apenheul in Apeldoorn (see www.hetweekendvandewetenschap.nl).

The website http://www.helpeenhandje.nl/ has been created on which the public is invited to perform some tests for handedness and creativity and fill in some questionnaires, on which feedback is provided.