Further evidence of a right hand advantage in motor skill by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).
Asymmetries in motor skill when grasping small food items was evaluated in a sample of captive chimpanzees. In two experiments, error rates in grasping food were assessed when controlling for individual differences in grip morphology. In both experiments, chimpanzees were found to make more errors with the left compared to the right hand. Male chimpanzees were also found to make more errors compared to females. These results are discussed in the context of a presumed disassociation between hand preference and performance as indicators of cerebral dominance in motor functions.
Hopkins
William D
WD
Division of Psychobiology, Yerkes National Primate research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. whopkins@berry.edu
Russell
Jamie L
JL
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D012737:Sex Factors