Handedness in the common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus )

Bibliographic Data

ID8317387
AuthorsH Rothe (0000-0003-1163-6576, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, corresponding author)
Year1973
Volume38
Issue2
Pages561-565
Publication date1973-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.1330380267
PMID4632104
OpenAlexW1976377048
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited10

For about 20 months the development of hand preferences in 21 experimentally naive common marmosets ( Callithrix jacchus ) was examined in 15 different tests. Test preferences were compared with their spontaneous behavior preferences in such contexts as feeding, grooming, play, and others. In the spontaneous use of the hands, only eight animals showed a significant lateral preference (2 left‐handed, 6 right‐handed). During the test period, however, the number of handed marmosets increased to 19 (5 left‐handed, 14 right‐handed). Most of the animals fluctuated considerably in their preference levels, a situation which led to a remarkable test response inconsistency of handedness. When the test situation was changed, complete reversals of handedness were more frequent than weakening or strengthening of a particular preference. The animals' emotions during the test session and environmental variables affected handedness significantly. None of the tested marmosets showed an increase of hand preference from the first to the last test. Our results indicate that Callithrix is ambidextrous rather than handed

Audiology · Biology · Callithrix · Callitrichidae · Developmental psychology · Hand preference · Laterality · Marmoset · Preference · Preference test · Statistics · Test (biology) · Animal Behavior and Reproduction · Ecology · Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience · Mathematics · Medicine · Primate Behavior and Ecology · Psychology

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