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Bipedal posture and hand preference in humans and other primates
G C Westergaard1, H E Kuhn, S J Suomi
1National Institutes of Health Animal Center, Poolesville, Maryland 20837, USA.
Summary
Primate hand preference varies with posture. Bipedalism may have promoted right-handedness in humans and other species, influencing primate evolution.
Area of Science:
- Primate behavior
- Comparative psychology
- Evolutionary anthropology
Background:
- Hand preference, or lateralization, is a key trait in primate motor control.
- Understanding hand preference evolution requires examining different postures and species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hand preference in quadrupedal and bipedal reaching in humans and rhesus macaques.
- To compare primate hand preference across various species and reaching postures.
Main Methods:
- Observed hand preference in humans and rhesus macaques during quadrupedal and bipedal reaching tasks.
- Compared findings with existing data from eight other primate species.
Main Results:
- Humans showed right-hand preference for both quadrupedal and bipedal reaching.
- Rhesus macaques preferred the left hand for quadrupedal reaching but shifted to the right hand for bipedal reaching.
- Significant variations in hand preference direction and strength were observed across species and postures.
Conclusions:
- Primate hand preference is influenced by postural changes.
- Bipedalism appears to be a significant factor in the development of right-handedness in humans and other primates.