Asymmetries of manual motor response in relation to age, sex, handedness, and occupational activities.

Questions about left- and right-hand asymmetries require the analysis of preference and manual skill with respect to handedness. Hand preference and hand skill were examined in relation to sex, age, and occupational activities. 512 adults from manual, mixed, and intellectual activities and 253 children were tested for their manual preferences and performance. Analysis of variance followed by Scheffé post hoc tests, for right-handed adults, indicated significant effects for occupational activity and sex in dexterity and strength. Manual workers, under technological pressure, seemed more consistent in their manual preferences than their peers. For left-handed persons there were no significant effects. Dexterity and strength were also related to sex and age, suggesting different cultural opportunities for both sexes in relation to motor activities.