Simple reaching is not so simple: Association between hand use and grip preferences in captive chimpanzees

William D. Hopkins, Jamie L. Russell, Michelle Hook, Stephanie Braccini, Steven J. Schapiro

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    37 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    We assessed the relationship between grip preference and hand use in chimpanzees in 2 experiments. In experiment 1, we evaluated consistency in hand use and grip preference across 4 food types. The chimpanzees showed population-level right-handedness and there are significant positive associations for both hand and grip use across food types. In experiment 2, we assessed validity of hand use in relation to grip preference in 2 colonies of chimpanzees via the same methodology. Differences in hand preferences between colonies were associated with variation in the observed grip preferences. There was no evidence of rearing effects on handedness in either colony. We discuss the overall results in the context of the evolution of handedness in relation to increasing motor demands as manifest in variation on grasping behavior.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)259-277
    Number of pages19
    JournalInternational Journal of Primatology
    Volume26
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Apr 2005

    Keywords

    • Chimpanzee
    • Grip preference
    • Hand preference

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
    • Animal Science and Zoology

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