A simple dual-task study of laterality, sex-differences and handedness.
Nine-hundred and eighty-one right-handed and 55 left-handed subjects were required to tap with a pen for 10 secs between targets 6 cm apart whilst either saying nothing, reciting a tongue-twister or saying la-la. The numbers of dots produced in 10 secs in each condition were analysed. The right-handed group demonstrated the usually found degradation in their right-hand performance whilst reciting the meaningful words, but showed a lesser effect when saying la-la. Their left-handed performance was essentially unaffected. Absolutely no evidence for the presence of a sex difference in lateralization of language was found. The much smaller sample of left-handed subjects presented a complex picture of no significant effects, whether they were the sole left-handers in their family, or had other left-handed close relations.
Ashton
R
R
Department of Psychology, University of Queensland.
McFarland
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011597:Psychomotor Performance