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Handedness in musicians: bimanual constraints on performance

S Christman1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, OH 43606-3390.

Brain and Cognition
|July 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Musicians using instruments with integrated bimanual actions show weaker handedness. This suggests greater brain hemisphere control for fine motor skills in these individuals.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Music Cognition
  • Motor Control

Background:

  • Handedness is a common trait, but its expression can be influenced by specialized activities.
  • Musical instrument performance involves complex bimanual motor skills.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between musical instrument type and handedness.
  • To explore how different bimanual motor demands in music affect handedness.

Main Methods:

  • Categorized musicians based on instrument type: temporally integrated (strings, woodwinds) vs. independent (keyboard) bimanual activity.
  • Assessed the degree of handedness in each group.

Main Results:

  • Musicians performing instruments with temporally integrated bimanual actions displayed weaker handedness compared to those with independent bimanual actions.
  • No significant differences were found in the direction of handedness between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • Weaker handedness in certain musicians may reflect enhanced bilateral hemispheric integration.
  • This may be associated with superior control of fine motor movements in mixed-handed individuals.

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