Copyright 2006 by Rules |
Right Side/Left Side
First, let's check people for handedness...which hand do they prefer touse in the following tests? Mark your data sheet depending on whetherthey use their right or left hand.Observe your subject to see if he or she writes with the right or lefthand. Just ask your subject to write his or her name.Which hand does your subject hold a pair of scissors when cutting apiece of paper? Ask your subject to cut a circle out of a piece ofpaper.Which hand does your subject use to throw a ball. Give a ball to yoursubject and ask him or her to throw it to you.Extra Tests (optional)Observe your subject to see if he or she eats with the right or lefthand. You should only count the hand that is used to bring the food toyour subjects mouth...which hand holds the fork or spoon?Observe which hand your subject uses to pick up a cup of water todrink.
Materials needed: Pen or pencil and paperPaper and scissorsBallCup with water (optional)Fork or spoon and food (optional)If you want to determine the STRENGTH of handedness, there are two different questionnaires you can use.
HANDEDNESS QUESTIONNAIRE #1.HANDEDNESS QUESTIONNAIRE #2.On-line Right/Left Test.
Now, let's check people for footedness...which foot dothey prefer touse in the following tests? Mark your data sheet depending on whetherthey use the right or left foot.Does your subject kick a ball with his or her right or left foot?Does your subject step up a stair leading with his or her right ofleft foot? Have your subject stand with both feet flat on the ground infront of a step. Ask your subject to step up the first stair. See whichfoot is lifted up. (Note: if you do not have any stairs, you can draw aline on the floor or put a piece of string on the ground. Ask you subjectto step over the line or string. See which foot goes over the line.)Which foot does your subject use to step on things? Put a smallobject, such as a coin, on the floor. Ask your subject to step on the coin. Which foot does your subject use to step on thecoin?
Now, let's check people for eyedness...which eye do they prefer touse in the following tests? Mark your data sheet depending on whetherthey use the right or left eye.Which eye is used by your subject to look through a tube? Give yoursubject an empty paper towel tube (or just roll up a piece of paper).Which eye does your subject put up to the tube?Which eye does your subject "sight" with? Ask your subject to look ata distant object across the room (such as a clock on the wall). Tell yoursubject to quickly line up one finger with the distant object so that thisfinger is blocking the object. Now ask your subject to close one eye,then the other. When your subject closes one eye, the object will remainblocked. However, with the other eye, your subject's finger will "jump"out of the way. Mark your data sheet with the eye that stillblocked the object. For example, if the object remained blocked when theright eye was used, mark right eye.Another sight test. Cut a small circle out of the middle of a pieceof notebook paper. The circle should be the size of a small coin. Givethe paper with the hole to your subject. Ask your subject to use botheyes and to look through the hole in the paper at a distant object (like aclock on the wall). Ask your subject to bring the paper closer and closerto his or her face while still looking at the distant object. Which eyedoes the hole in the paper finally reach? The right or left eye?
Now, let's check people for earedness...which ear do they prefer to use inthe following tests? Mark your data sheet depending on whether they usethe right or left ear.Which ear do your subjects use to listen to a whisper? Tell yoursubjects that you are going to whisper something very quietly and that youwant them to "cup one ear" to make the sound louder. Speak quietly andsee which ear do they decide to use. Which ear do your subjects use to listen to a sound from a box. Get asmall box and ask your subjects to identify what is inside the box byputting an ear up to the box. Which ear do they use?Which ear do your subjects use to listen through a wall. Ask yoursubjects to try to listen through a wall. Which ear do they use?
Collect and AnalyzeYour Results 
MenWomenHand8690Foot7786Ear5565Eye7369Table Reference: Stanley Coren, The Left-Hander Syndrome:The Causes and Consequences of Left-Handedness, Free Press, New York,1992, p. 32
Hereis an activity you can try to see differences in the abilities of your right and left hands. Set aside a period of time (30minutes, 1 hour or longer)and use your non-dominant hand to do things your dominant hand usuallydoes. For example, if you write with your right hand, try writing withyour left hand. If you eat with your right hand, try to hold the fork inyour left hand or try to eat soup with the spoon in your left hand. Canyou brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand? Try it!
Caution: BE CAREFUL and USEYOUR BEST JUDGEMENT in the activities youtry. Do not try anything dangerous!![[email]](./gif/menue.gif)
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