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Lateral preferences in preschool children: a research note.
1Department of Psychology, University of Rome, Italy.
Summary
This study on children aged 4-6 found consistent right-side preferences for hand, foot, eye, and ear. Lateral preferences appear well-established by age 3, with no significant differences based on age or sex.
Area of Science:
- Child development
- Neuroscience
- Human motor control
Background:
- Understanding the development of lateral preferences is crucial for cognitive and motor skill research.
- Previous studies suggest lateralization emerges early in life, but comprehensive data across multiple modalities in young children is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess hand, foot, eye, and ear preferences in preschool-aged children.
- To investigate the congruency between different lateral preference measures.
- To determine if age or sex influences the establishment of lateral preferences.
Main Methods:
- Administered a performance battery to assess hand, foot, eye, and ear preference.
- Sample included 271 children aged 4, 5, and 6 years.
- Analyzed data for right-side preferences, inter-index congruency, and differences based on age and sex.
Main Results:
- Right-side preferences were observed across all assessed indexes (hand, foot, eye, ear) to varying degrees.
- Significant concordance was found between hand-foot preference and eye-ear preference.
- No significant differences in lateral preferences were detected concerning age or sex.
Conclusions:
- Lateral preferences, including hand, foot, eye, and ear, are well-established by age 3.
- The findings suggest a strong association between hand-foot and eye-ear lateralization in young children.
- Lateral preference development in early childhood appears independent of sex and age within the studied range.