Left, Right, Hand 'n Space

Abstract

A finger tapping task was employed to investigate fine motor performance rate by healthy adult right (RH) and left (LH) handers in right versus left hemispace. Eighty healthy adults tapped rapidly with the right or left hand index finger during uncued, unpaced, uni- and bimanual conditions. Two strikingly significant results emerged: (1.) The right hand showed a significant effect of space, but the left hand did not; this irrespective of handedness or number of hands employed. (2.) This effect of space favoured the right side. Overall, these findings support fMRI and lesion evidence indicating that side of space influences the extent of motor asymmetry. The result is novel and shows an effect which is independent of hand preference; that is, right versus left handedness.