Hand Preference across Time is Related to Intelligence in Young Girls, not Boys

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 221; no. 4615; pp. 1074 - 1076
• Main Authors: Gottfried, Allen W., Bathurst, Kay
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC The American Association for the Advancement of Science 09.09.1983; American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Behavioral laterality; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral dominance; Child development; Child, Preschool; Children; Developmental psychology; Female; Functional Laterality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Handedness; Humans; Infant; Intelligence; Intelligence Tests; Laterality; Learning; Left- and right-handedness; Longitudinal studies; Male; Memory; Neuropsychology; Physiological aspects; Preschool children; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Sex Factors; Sexual development; Time Factors; Preschool age; Mannual aptitude; Human; Intellectual development; Intelligence; Follow up study; Preference; Sex; Infant; Laterality
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.6879205

Consistency of hand preference was examined in a longitudinal study of children between 18 and 42 months of age. Results showed a sex-specific relationship between hand consistency and intellectual development. Across a variety of intellectual abilities at all ages, females with consistency of handedness were precocious compared to females without such consistency. This relationship did not hold for males.