Handedness, laterality and the size-weight illusion. 2012

Gavin Buckingham, and Nathalie S Ranger, and Melvyn A Goodale
Centre for Brain and Mind, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada. gbucking@uwo.ca

The goal of this study was to determine how handedness and lifting hand influence the way in which we lift objects and perceive their weights. To this end, we examined the fingertip forces and perceptual judgements of 30 left-handers and 30 right-handers during lifts of specially constructed 'size-weight illusion' (SWI) cubes with their left and right hands. All participants completed a series of lifts first with one hand and then the other, so we could additionally examine asymmetries in the retention and transfer of force information between the limbs. Right-handers experienced a larger illusion with their left hand than they did with their right hand, whereas left-handers showed no such asymmetry in their illusions. The perceptual illusion's independence from the application of fingertip force was highlighted by an unexpected lack of asymmetry in terms of fingertip force scaling. Left- and right-handers showed no dominant hand advantage in this task - they were no more skilled at correcting their fingertip force errors with their preferred hand than they were with their non-preferred hand. In addition, although no asymmetries were observed with regard to the most efficient direction of intermanual transfer, the right-handed individuals transferred force information between the hands more effectively than the left-handers. Overall, these findings indicate that hand dominance does not affect the control of the fingertip forces, suggesting that existing models of cerebral laterality must be re-visited to consider kinetic (i.e., related to forces), as well as kinematic (i.e., related to movement) variables.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007088 Illusions The misinterpretation of a real external, sensory experience. Autokinetic Effect,Autokinetic Illusions,Effect, Autokinetic,Illusions, Auditory,Illusions, Kinesthetic,Illusions, Tactile,Illusions, Visual,Auditory Illusion,Auditory Illusions,Autokinetic Effects,Autokinetic Illusion,Effects, Autokinetic,Illusion,Illusion, Auditory,Illusion, Autokinetic,Illusion, Kinesthetic,Illusion, Tactile,Illusion, Visual,Illusions, Autokinetic,Kinesthetic Illusion,Kinesthetic Illusions,Tactile Illusion,Tactile Illusions,Visual Illusion,Visual Illusions
D007839 Functional Laterality Behavioral manifestations of cerebral dominance in which there is preferential use and superior functioning of either the left or the right side, as in the preferred use of the right hand or right foot. Ambidexterity,Behavioral Laterality,Handedness,Laterality of Motor Control,Mirror Writing,Laterality, Behavioral,Laterality, Functional,Mirror Writings,Motor Control Laterality,Writing, Mirror,Writings, Mirror
D008297 Male Males
D009068 Movement The act, process, or result of passing from one place or position to another. It differs from LOCOMOTION in that locomotion is restricted to the passing of the whole body from one place to another, while movement encompasses both locomotion but also a change of the position of the whole body or any of its parts. Movement may be used with reference to humans, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and microorganisms. Differentiate also from MOTOR ACTIVITY, movement associated with behavior. Movements
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D005260 Female Females
D006225 Hand The distal part of the arm beyond the wrist in humans and primates, that includes the palm, fingers, and thumb. Hands
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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