title: Is handedness just response bias?
abstract: Although most people prefer to use the right hand for unimanual tasks, it is unknown whether handedness arises from response bias. Whether it does is a question inspired by signal detection theory. We drew on the framework of signal detection theory to assess bias and sensitivity in hand choice by asking right-handers to choose between two tasks-one performed with the left hand, and one performed with the right. For some participants, the left-hand task stayed constant while the right-hand task was varied. For other participants, the right-hand stayed constant while the left-hand task was varied. We reasoned that if hand preference only reflected bias, participants would choose the generally preferred hand to the same degree, regardless of whether its task was constant or varied. Our participants followed this strategy only to some extent, suggesting that bias and sensitivity both contribute to hand preference.
authors: Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, 443A Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA, cjc287@psu.edu.
authors: Chase J
authors: CJ
authors: Coelho
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult