Abstract
The relationship between hand preference and approach-avoidance behavior was examined in 49 chimpanzees (Pan). Ss were presented with 2 sets of novel objects on 4 consecutive days. The objects were presented for 2 hr during each session, and latency to touch any object was recorded for each S. Latency scores were then compared for chimpanzees that had been determined to be non-right- or right-handed. Right-handed Ss approached and touched the objects significantly faster than non-right-handed Ss did. In addition, males touched the objects significantly faster than did females. Correlations in approach-avoidance behavior were significant across stimulus sets and days of testing. The overall results support recent theoretical models linking hemispheric specialization with the expression of positive and negative affective behaviors.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 413-418 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 1994 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology