Cognitive preferences and hemispheric preference: an analysis of learning and thinking styles among undergraduate students

This study examines the influence of brain hemisphere preference on the learning and thinking styles of undergraduate students in the Malappuram district, Kerala, India. The primary aims were to identify students’ hemispheric preference using SOLAT test, assess their learning and thinking styles, and compare these styles across hemispheric preference, and specific components of learning and thinking. A descriptive survey design was employed, involving 400 undergraduates. Data were collected using standardized instrument and analyzed through descriptive statistics (percentages, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (independent-samples t-test, one-Way ANOVA, Welch ANOVA, Tukey HSD and Games-Howell post hoc tests), with appropriate effect-size measures (Cohen’s d , η 2 and ω 2 ). Among participants, 248 students exhibited right-hemisphere preference and 144 exhibited left-hemispheric preference. Key findings include that most students in both groups exhibited moderate levels of learning and thinking styles. Students with left-hemispheric preference tended to favour structured, sequential, and verbal learning approaches, while students with right-hemispheric preference tended to exhibit inclination towards interactive, creative, and imaginative learning and thinking styles. The study found no significant difference in overall learning styles between students with left- and right-hemispheric preferences. However, a significant difference was observed in thinking styles, with students with a right-hemispheric preference demonstrating higher scores than those with a left-hemispheric preference, accompanied by a moderate effect size. Notable differences were identified within the components of learning and thinking styles for both hemispheric groups, particularly among students with a right-hemispheric preference, with creativity and imaginative thinking emerging as salient components. Effect sizes ranged from small to moderate, indicating meaningful but non-deterministic hemispheric influences. The study establishes that hemispheric preference exerts a nuanced, component-specific influence, operating alongside integrative and overlapping cognitive processes rather than as a rigid functional divide, unlike prior studies depicting hemispheric preference as a fixed or deterministic predictor of learning and thinking styles. The findings reinforce contemporary perspectives that view hemispheric preference as reflecting relative cognitive tendencies rather than rigid functional divisions. The study underlines adopting balanced and inclusive pedagogical approaches addressing diverse cognitive orientations in higher education.