Dear All, 

We are placed to announce our new publication: 

Jaakkola, K., Loyer, C., Guarino, E., Donegan, K., & McMullen, C. (2021). Do dolphins really have a rightward lateralization for action? The importance of behavior-specific and orientation-neutral coding. Behavioural Brain Research, 401, 113083.

Abstract:

Because each side of the vertebrate body is controlled by a different side of the brain, studies of behavioral lateralization can provide insight into functional cerebral asymmetries in humans and other animals. The current study examined behavioral lateralization for a variety of behaviors in a group of 26 dolphins, in order to assess the claim that cetaceans show strong rightward action asymmetries indicative of a left-hemisphere specialization for action. We distinguished between side asymmetries and whole body turning actions, and devised a new coding system to counter the problem that previous studies of rolling behaviors (i.e., rotations around the long axis) have used contradictory coding systems depending on species' typical orientation. Our results did not support a generalized population-level rightward action asymmetry across multiple behaviors. Instead, we suggest that many dolphin behavioral asymmetries may be better explained as a result of perceptual processing asymmetries common across many vertebrates.

You can access the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113083

Or email me directly for a copy: kelly@dolphins.org

Cheers, 
-- Kelly

Kelly Jaakkola, PhD
Director of Research, Dolphin Research Center
Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee, Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums