Manual asymmetries in reaching movement control. I: Study of right-handers

Two experiments investigated manual asymmetries in the control of rapid reaching movements according to the movement parameters to be controlled. Single- and double-step reaching movements were performed by right-handed subjects with both hands. Pro and retroactive processes involved in rapid movement control were investigated. Manual performances and kinematic properties of hand movements showed that various forms of hemispheric specialization were involved in sensori-motor information processing. It was shown that the effects of hemispheric specialization were specific to the task constraints, that is, to the various operations involved in movement control.