Key research themes
1. How is fluctuating asymmetry used as an indicator of developmental instability and environmental/genetic stress in populations?
This research area investigates fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as a quantifiable population-level measure of developmental instability (DI) arising from genetic and environmental stressors. FA reflects random deviations from ideal bilateral symmetry and is used to assess robustness and fitness in biological populations, including humans and other species. The focus is on measurement best practices, trait selection, and the interpretation of FA as an indicator of developmental noise, environmental stress, and genetic coadaptation.
2. What are the neurological bases and cognitive implications of hemispheric and behavioral asymmetries in the brain?
This theme explores brain asymmetry not only as a structural phenomenon but as a dynamic functional specialization of cerebral hemispheres underpinning lateralized perception, cognition, and behavior. Studies examine frequency tuning, neurotransmitter distributions, inter-hemispheric interactions, and their implications for cognitive domains such as language, visual-spatial processing, and attentional asymmetries. This accounts for both normative and pathological states, including ADHD.
3. How do asymmetrical hypotheses and asymmetric causal relationships challenge traditional symmetric statistical approaches, and what methods better capture them?
Recognizing that many causal relationships are asymmetric—where presence or absence of a cause leads to different outcomes and boundaries delineate zones of presence vs absence—this research theme investigates conceptual clarifications and improved quantitative methods for studying asymmetric causation. It addresses limitations of traditional additive linear models, advocates for boundary-focused and set-theoretic methods, and introduces novel econometric and mathematical tools to identify and interpret causal asymmetries.
