Information-processing abilities among left- and right-handed children

This research investigates the influences of handedness, familial sinistrality (FS), and hand position while writing on information-processing capabilities related to intelligence, reading, and visual-motor performance. Forty left-handed and thirty-nine right-handed children between the ages of 7-10 years served as subjects. Results indicated that; (a) left- and right-handers as total groups did not differ on any measure; (b) FS + left- and right-handers had higher intelligence and spelling scores than did FS - left- and right-handers; (c) left- and right-handers with horizontal hand position had lower vocabulary, comprehension, and spelling scores than did their counterparts with inverted or normal hand position; and (d) no group differences in visual-motor performance existed, except for a sex difference. These results are discussed in terms of hemispheric organization, the processing of different types of language-related information, and maturational phenomena.