synopsis of my research

(In the pages linked to from this page, source titles are identified by journal name and volume number only. Full details regarding their location can be found in my List of Publications. A few of them are available via Downloads).

Two approaches can be identified in mainstream psychology:- the "nomothetic" and the "idiographic". My own research began with a view to discovering law-like generalities about people (the “nomothetic” approach); but I  found it impossible to ignore such differences as those of age and sex and how they affect the generalities.  These "demographic" subject variables are just a beginning. So I have also been interested in describing groups and - the limiting case of funnelling down the focus - individuals (the “idiographic” approach). The part of my nomothetic work of widest interest to the public has concerned  mere exposure. I have also summarized my work on aspects of idiographic psychology.

The division of my work that has had the most impact on the world of learning, however, has concerned laterality. My interests in this field divide into five:-

theory         monaural laterality          handedness         cognitive modelling         relation of telephoning to side advantage in dichotic listening.