Further evidence of a right hand advantage in motor skill by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Asymmetries in motor skill when grasping small food items was evaluated in a sample of captive chimpanzees. In two experiments, error rates in grasping food were assessed when controlling for individual differences in grip morphology. In both experiments, chimpanzees were found to make more errors with the left compared to the right hand. Male chimpanzees were also found to make more errors compared to females. These results are discussed in the context of a presumed disassociation between hand preference and performance as indicators of cerebral dominance in motor functions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.