title: Lateral preference profiles and right shift attempt histories of consistent and inconsistent left-handers.
abstract: Differences in abilities and preferences exist between left-handers who both write and throw with their left hands (consistent left-handers) and those who write with their left hand but prefer to throw with their right (inconsistent left-handers). It is also known that many left-handers are pressured to switch to right-hand writing, and that these pressures can lead to a right shift attempt. The present study is the first to explore the joint effects of the consistent/inconsistent left-handedness dichotomy, right shift attempt history, and lateral preference profiles. Testing 379 Canadian adults between the ages of 18 and 94 indicated that, while both types of left-handers were equally likely to experience a right shift attempt, the inconsistent left-handers were more likely to successfully switch to right-hand writing. Further analyses revealed that throwing hand was more associated than writing hand with the direction of sidedness for a lateral preference index based upon eye, foot, and ear preferences. More specifically, right-hand throwers were much more likely to have a rightward lateral preference score than were left-hand throwers, regardless of current preferred writing hand. Overall, the results support an hypothesis that the left-handers who are least likely to submit to rightward switch pressures are those with the strongest, most consistent left-sided lateral preference profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY 13617-1475, USA.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Searleman
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porac
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010507:Periodicity; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology