Measures of Lateral Functional Dominance: Hand Dominance

Document Type

Article

Authors

Chris C. Plato, National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Kathleen M. Fox, National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Ralph M. Garruto, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

Abstract

Male (n = 461) and female (n = 244) participants of the Balitmore Longitudinal Study of Aging were evaluated for lateral functional dominance. All participants were tested for ten individual functions, representing five different forms of manual manipulation (groups). The results indicate that the frequency of left hand dominance is higher in males than females, higher in younger than older adults, and varies between functions. The degree of concordance for handedness between pairs of functions also varies. Pairs of functions belonging to the same group have a higher degree of concordance for handedness than pairs belonging to different groups.

Recommended Citation

Plato, Chris C.; Fox, Kathleen M.; and Garruto, Ralph M. (1984) "Measures of Lateral Functional Dominance: Hand Dominance," Human Biology: Vol. 56: Iss. 2, Article 6.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol56/iss2/6