Why the preferred hand taps more quickly than the non-preferred hand: Three experiments on handedness.
- 1 March 1980
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Canadian Journal of Psychology / Revue canadienne de psychologie
- Vol. 34 (1) , 62-71
- https://doi.org/10.1037/h0081014
Abstract
Separate experiments (3) pursue the question of why the preferred hand [in humans] outperforms the non-preferred hand on a simple finger tapping task. Experiment (exp) 1 rules out possible differential effects of fatique on the differences between hands. Exp 2 shows that the single-direction components of the up and down travel of the index finger are not significantly related to tapping speed and contribute little to the performance differences between hands. This is not so for the reversal portion of the tapping movement, where the transition between movement directions is made. This portion contributes significantly to the superiority of the preferred hand. Apparently, sensory feedback plays a minor role and the principal factor in the preferred hand''s better performance seems to be precision of force modulation. Manipulation of this factor (exp 3) leads to changes in the magnitude of the preferred hand''s superiority.This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit:
- A review of right hemisphere linguistic capabilities.Psychological Bulletin, 1977
- Prolonged Practice of a Simple Motor Task by Preferred and Nonpreferred HandsPerceptual and Motor Skills, 1976