Writing performance of right - and left - handers in relation to sex and writing posture

Authors

  • Francisca Morais da Silveira
  • William Lee Berdel Martin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v8i1.3236

Keywords:

left-handedness, writing posture, sex differences

Abstract

According to the technical adaptation theory, the inverted hand posture used by left-handers arose as an adjustment for coping with abductive demands implicit in Roman orthography. Some educators regarded the posture as maladaptive, leading to physical problems and illegible script, and recommended a non-inverted posture. This study sought to ascertain whether the differential hand posture was associated with physical or pre-natal problems, and compared the writing performance of both inverted and non-inverted writers. It was found that no physical problems stemmed from this inverted posture. On cursive tasks, females outperformed males, and although inverted left-handers tended to write cursive script slower, the level of quality was equal to that of non-inverted sinistrals and dextrals. These results lend no support to the supposition that inversion causes physical problems, or that it leads to inferior writing, and therefore does not justify attempts by educators to dissuade lefthanders from adopting the inverted posture.

Keywords: left-handedness; writing posture; sex differences.

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How to Cite

da Silveira, F. M., & Martin, W. L. B. (2004). Writing performance of right - and left - handers in relation to sex and writing posture. Interação Em Psicologia, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v8i1.3236

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2004)

Section

Articles

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