There is evidence that being strongly lateralized is linked to better cognitive performance and helps animals survive, which would explain the evolution of laterality across the animal kingdom.
TIM BAKER: ‘For humans, having a dominant hand – known as being lateralised – is believed to allow for more efficient brain function. But in squirrels it has proven to be more of a hindrance than a help, with ambidextrous rodents appearing more adept at learning new skills. The study was run by the University of Exeter, where scientists put peanuts in see-through tubes and watched to see how the squirrels got them out. They could not use their faces as they normally would because the holes were deliberately made too small…
After studying a total of 30 squirrels – 12 of which provided robust data – scientists published the research in the Learning and Behaviour journal. While some of the animals showed ambidexterity by using both their paws to access the nuts, others strongly favour one side. The team then measured how quickly squirrels learned the task and how strongly they favoured a particular paw, assessing both learning and laterality.
Results showed that squirrels which strongly favoured a particular side did less well on a learning task… Dr Lisa Leaver stated: “It has been suggested that being strongly lateralised makes brains more efficient, with each hemisphere focusing on different tasks”. This could help animals survive, which would explain the evolution of laterality across the animal kingdom. “In fish and birds, there is evidence that being strongly lateralised is linked to better cognitive performance (brain function)”.’ SOURCE…
RELATED VIDEO: