Dominant Thumb Experiment
Anna Marcon
Lab 1 Report
June 9, 2014
Introductions
Background
The dominant thumb experiment is used to observe the correlation between handedness and thumb dominance and whether one inherited trait will always influences another correlated trait. Examples of this experiment of this can be traced back as far as 1908. In this experiment 50 people were asked to clasp their hands and the thumb dominance. Once the hands were clasped, one thumb would naturally overlap the other and the handedness of each subject was noted. The hypothesis of the experiment is that when people clasp their hands, the thumb of the dominant hand may overlap the thumb of the non-dominant hand. In 1999, a scientist by the name of Reiss completed 18 studies of parents and their children to find that 55% of the population are left-hand-claspers (therefore right-handed), 44% are right-hand-claspers (left-handed), and the remaining 1% report that they have no preference or are indifferent (ambidextrous). It also states, familial data suggest that hand-clasping may be under genetic control”.
Purpose …show more content…
Hypothesis
If an individual is right-handed the right thumb will be dominant when the hands are clasped. If the individual is left handed then the left thumb will be dominant the hands are clasped together.
Procedures
Equipment Used
50 Volunteers
Pen
Paper
Collection of Data
Fifty volunteers were formally asked if they were either primarily right-handed or left-handed. Once the handedness of the individual was noted, they were asked to clasp their hands together with fingers laced. Once their hands were comfortably clasped it was noted on whether their right or left thumb rested on top.
Results
Data Table
Subject #
Left-Thumb Dominant
Left Handed
Right-Thumb Dominant
Right Handed
1
X
Lab 1 Report
June 9, 2014
Introductions
Background
The dominant thumb experiment is used to observe the correlation between handedness and thumb dominance and whether one inherited trait will always influences another correlated trait. Examples of this experiment of this can be traced back as far as 1908. In this experiment 50 people were asked to clasp their hands and the thumb dominance. Once the hands were clasped, one thumb would naturally overlap the other and the handedness of each subject was noted. The hypothesis of the experiment is that when people clasp their hands, the thumb of the dominant hand may overlap the thumb of the non-dominant hand. In 1999, a scientist by the name of Reiss completed 18 studies of parents and their children to find that 55% of the population are left-hand-claspers (therefore right-handed), 44% are right-hand-claspers (left-handed), and the remaining 1% report that they have no preference or are indifferent (ambidextrous). It also states, familial data suggest that hand-clasping may be under genetic control”.
Purpose …show more content…
Hypothesis
If an individual is right-handed the right thumb will be dominant when the hands are clasped. If the individual is left handed then the left thumb will be dominant the hands are clasped together.
Procedures
Equipment Used
50 Volunteers
Pen
Paper
Collection of Data
Fifty volunteers were formally asked if they were either primarily right-handed or left-handed. Once the handedness of the individual was noted, they were asked to clasp their hands together with fingers laced. Once their hands were comfortably clasped it was noted on whether their right or left thumb rested on top.
Results
Data Table
Subject #
Left-Thumb Dominant
Left Handed
Right-Thumb Dominant
Right Handed
1
X