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Measuring infant handedness reliably from reaching: A systematic review
Eliza L Nelson1, Sandy L Gonzalez1,2
1Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
Laterality
|February 18, 2020
Summary
Most studies measuring infant handedness using reaching tasks do not use enough trials for reliable results. A minimum of 15 trials is recommended for accurate infant handedness classification.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Infant handedness has been studied for over 100 years using reaching paradigms.
- Existing methodologies for assessing infant handedness lack standardization, leading to variability in results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize studies on infant handedness assessment using reaching tasks.
- To evaluate the number of trials used in these studies against recommended criteria for reliable measurement.
- To establish a foundation for best practices in infant handedness research.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted using PRISMA guidelines across PsycINFO, PubMed, and Ovid MEDLINE.
- Studies published up to May 2018, focusing on infant reaching to index handedness, were included.
- 1,116 records were screened, with 87 articles undergoing qualitative synthesis based on trial number.
Main Results:
- The majority of published papers (70%) since 1890 fail to meet the recommended minimum of 15 trials for statistically reliable infant handedness measurement.
- Significant variation exists in the number of trials employed across studies.
- Few studies adhere to the recommended trial count for robust classification.
Conclusions:
- Current research practices for measuring infant handedness are often inadequate for reliable classification.
- Future research should prioritize adhering to a minimum trial count (e.g., 15 trials) to ensure methodological rigor.
- Establishing standardized protocols is crucial for advancing the field of infant handedness research.
