How Good People are at Estimating their Own Performance? A Study of the Relationship between Hand Preference and Motor Performance

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the awareness of hand preference and hand and foot performance among right-, left- and mixed-handers (n = 224). The hand preference was assessed using a handedness inventory. Hand and foot performances were measured using rapid index finger or toe tapping. A significant interaction between hand preference and the tapping rate indicated that in left-handers, left tapping was faster than right tapping and in right-handers, right tapping was faster than left tapping regardless of effector, finger or toe. The mixed-handers, however, did not show differences between left and right tapping performance. Correlations between performances were highest between hands or between feet. Also, hand performance was more strongly positively associated to foot performance in the mixed- and left-handers than right-handers. Similar inter-limb performance in mixed-handers tends to implicate inconsistent or undeveloped cerebral lateralisation. The results indicate that self-awareness of the pattern of hand use significantly relates to hand and foot performance.