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The measurement of foot preference
J P Chapman1, L J Chapman, J J Allen
1Psychology Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.
Neuropsychologia
|January 1, 1987
Summary
This study developed a reliable foot preference inventory to aid in understanding hemispheric lateralization. Measuring both footedness and handedness is crucial for identifying consistent side preferences and predicting brain dominance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Hemispheric lateralization studies often overlook foot preference, despite its potential for predicting brain dominance.
- Understanding lateralization requires reliable measurement of both handedness and footedness, as they are only partially related.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a reliable behavioral inventory for assessing foot preference.
- To explore the utility of foot preference in predicting hemispheric dominance.
- To investigate the combined predictive power of footedness and handedness on cerebral lateralization.
Main Methods:
- Development of an 11-item behavioral inventory to assess foot preference.
- Reliability testing of the inventory using Cronbach's alpha (alpha = 0.89).
Main Results:
- A reliable 11-item foot preference inventory was successfully developed (alpha = 0.89).
- The inventory provides a standardized method for measuring foot preference.
Conclusions:
- Foot preference is a potentially valuable, yet understudied, indicator of hemispheric lateralization.
- Reliable measurement of both footedness and handedness is essential for a comprehensive understanding of brain lateralization.
- Further research is needed to determine the relative contributions of footedness and handedness to cerebral lateralization.