[Comparison of models of manual preference of blind and sighted children]

Two groups of children aged 6 to 13, composed of 55 congenitally blind and 64 sighted subjects, were observed in a manual preference test. The activities which strongly differentiate handedness in both groups appeared to be transitive and body oriented, instrumental manipulations and graphical actions. However, bringing the hand to the mouth, pouring and prehension in blind, and pointing in sighted did not differentiate handedness as well. The role of visual deprivation in hand preference orientation is discussed.