lateral dominance

n. Preference in using one side of the body. Also referred to as lateral preference or simply laterality. It applies to both motor activity and sensory reception. Although the majority of the people prefer using the right hand in skilled movements (right-handedness), about 2-14% of humans have a preference for using the left hand (left-handedness) in skilled motor activities. This percentage, however, is variable in different cultural groups. There is also a preference in using the foot, but the percentage of right-foot- edness is slightly smaller. From birth some lateral preference is observed, but laterality is only fully established around the age of 4-5 years. Lateral dominance is relative, and many people prefer to use the right hand in some motor activities and the left hand in other motor activities (mixed handedness). Sometimes the dominant hand and the dominant foot (or eye or ear) are on opposite sides of the body (crossed dominance). There is a significant but not perfect association between lateral preference and hemisphere specialization. For about 99% of right-handers and 70% of left-handers the language is lateralized to the left hemisphere.

- AA

▶ See also CEREBRAL DOMINANCE