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Isparta S, Töre-Yargın G, Wagner SC, Mundorf A, Cinar Kul B, Da Graça Pereira G, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S, Freund N, Salgirli Demirbas Y. Measuring paw preferences in dogs, cats and rats: Design requirements and innovations in methodology. Laterality 2024; 29:246-282. [PMID: 38669348 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2024.2341459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Studying behavioural lateralization in animals holds great potential for answering important questions in laterality research and clinical neuroscience. However, comparative research encounters challenges in reliability and validity, requiring new approaches and innovative designs to overcome. Although validated tests exist for some species, there is yet no standard test to compare lateralized manual behaviours between individuals, populations, and animal species. One of the main reasons is that different fine-motor abilities and postures must be considered for each species. Given that pawedness/handedness is a universal marker for behavioural lateralization across species, this article focuses on three commonly investigated species in laterality research: dogs, cats, and rats. We will present six apparatuses (two for dogs, three for cats, and one for rats) that enable an accurate assessment of paw preference. Design requirements and specifications such as zoometric fit for different body sizes and ages, reliability, robustness of the material, maintenance during and after testing, and animal welfare are extremely important when designing a new apparatus. Given that the study of behavioural lateralization yields crucial insights into animal welfare, laterality research, and clinical neuroscience, we aim to provide a solution to these challenges by presenting design requirements and innovations in methodology across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevim Isparta
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Gülşen Töre-Yargın
- Brunel Design School College of Engineering Design & Physical Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
- METU/BILTIR-UTEST Product Usability Unit, Department of Industrial Design, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Selina C Wagner
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Annakarina Mundorf
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bengi Cinar Kul
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Goncalo Da Graça Pereira
- Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM), Egas Moniz School of Health & Science, Almada, Portugal
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Research Center One Health Ruhr, Research Alliance Ruhr, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadja Freund
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Soto C, Gázquez JMM, Llorente M. Hand preferences in coordinated bimanual tasks in non-human primates: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 141:104822. [PMID: 35961384 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary significance of hand preferences among non-human primates and humans has been studied for decades with the aim of determining the origins of the population-level tendency. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to statistically integrate data on hand preferences in non-human primates performing the tube task and other bimanual tasks to determine the presence and direction of manual laterality. Significant individual-level lateralization was obtained for these bimanual tasks. In nonhuman primates, 82% of the animals analysed showed right or left-hand preference performing the tube task, this figure being 90% for other bimanual tasks. In contrast with humans, no asymmetry was found at the population level. Additionally, population-level preferences were not found in either of the tasks, although a strong manual preference was found when performing the tube task and other bimanual tasks. Species was studied as a variable moderator throughout the meta-analysis. These results highlight the importance of standardized testing methodologies across species and institutions to obtain comparable data and fill the gaps in the taxonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Soto
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - José M M Gázquez
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, 17003 Girona, Spain; Grup de Recerca "Llenguatge i Cognició", Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Plaça Sant Domènec 9, 17004 Girona, Spain.
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Tamura M, Akomo-Okoue EF. Hand preference in unimanual and bimanual coordinated tasks in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) feeding on African ginger (Zingiberaceae). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:531-545. [PMID: 33429467 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bimanual coordinated behaviors are critical for detecting robust individual hand preference in nonhuman primates but are particularly challenging to observe in the wild. This study focuses on spontaneous feeding behavior on African ginger (Aframomum sp. and Renealmia sp.), which involves a unimanual task (reaching and pulling out a ginger stem) and a bimanual coordinated task (extracting pith from a ginger stem) by wild western lowland gorillas. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study subjects were 21 gorillas in the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. We examined whether they exhibit significant hand preference at the individual and group levels for both tasks. RESULTS Sixteen gorillas showed significant hand preference in the unimanual task, whereas all 21 individuals showed significant hand preference in the bimanual coordinated task. Hand preference was significantly stronger in the bimanual coordinated task than in the unimanual task. It is noteworthy that gorillas showed a significant right-hand preference at the group level for the bimanual task (roughly 70% of the subjects). DISCUSSION This study confirmed that bimanual coordinated tasks are more sensitive in detecting hand preferences in nonhuman primates. In addition to the bimanual nature of the task, the precision grip for processing and the importance of African ginger as a food resource might influence the expression of hand preference. Evidence of a group-level right-hand preference may support the "postural origins theory." Because all wild African great apes feed on the pith of African ginger, comparing this task and its hand preferences can contribute toward a better understanding of the evolution of handedness in Hominidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Tamura
- Laboratory of Human Evolution Studies, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Regaiolli B, Spiezio C, Hopkins WD. Hand preference on unimanual and bimanual tasks in Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22745. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Regaiolli
- Research and Conservation Department; Parco Natura Viva − Garda Zoological Park; Bussolengo (VR) Italy
| | - Caterina Spiezio
- Research and Conservation Department; Parco Natura Viva − Garda Zoological Park; Bussolengo (VR) Italy
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center; Georgia State University; Atlanta Georgia
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Regaiolli B, Spiezio C, Hopkins WD. Hand preference on unimanual and bimanual tasks in strepsirrhines: The case of the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta). Am J Primatol 2016; 78:851-60. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Regaiolli
- Department of Research and Conservation; Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park; Bussolengo (VR) Italy
| | - Caterina Spiezio
- Department of Research and Conservation; Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park; Bussolengo (VR) Italy
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center; Georgia State University; Atlanta Georgia
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Forrester GS, Rawlings B, Davila-Ross M. An analysis of bimanual actions in natural feeding of semi-wild chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 159:85-92. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gillian S. Forrester
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Technology; University of Westminster; 115 New Cavendish Street London W1W 6UW UK
| | - Bruce Rawlings
- Psychology Department; University of Portsmouth; King Henry Building Street Portsmouth PO1 2DY UK
| | - Marina Davila-Ross
- Psychology Department; University of Portsmouth; King Henry Building Street Portsmouth PO1 2DY UK
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Heuzé Y, Balzeau A. Asymmetry of the midfacial skeleton of eastern lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) and potential association with frontal lobe asymmetries. J Hum Evol 2014; 74:123-129. [PMID: 24742879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Revised: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yann Heuzé
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Antoine Balzeau
- Équipe de Paléontologie Humaine, UMR 7194 du CNRS, Département de Préhistoire du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
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Hopkins WD. Comparing human and nonhuman primate handedness: challenges and a modest proposal for consensus. Dev Psychobiol 2013; 55:621-36. [PMID: 23913784 PMCID: PMC4041077 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In the past 20-25 years, there have been a number of studies published on handedness in nonhuman primates. The goal of these studies has been to evaluate whether monkeys and apes show patterns of hand preference that resemble the right-handedness found in the human species. The extant findings on handedness in nonhuman primates have revealed inconsistent evidence for population-level handedness within and between species. In this article, I discuss some of the methodological and statistical challenges to comparative studies of handedness in human and nonhuman primates. I further offer a framework for developing some consensus on evaluating the validity of different handedness measures and the characterization of individual hand preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5030, USA.
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Hopkins WD. Independence of data points in the measurement of hand preferences in primates: statistical problem or urban myth? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2013; 151:151-7. [PMID: 23460350 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Lack of independence of data points or the pooling fallacy has been suggested as a potential problem in the study of handedness in nonhuman primates, particularly as it relates to whether hand use responses should be recorded as individual events or bouts of activity. Here, I argue that there is no evidence that the concept of statistical independence of data points or the pooling fallacy is a problem in the evaluation of population-level handedness in previous studies in nonhuman primates. I further argue these statistical concepts have been misapplied to the characterization of individual hand preferences. Finally, I argue that recording hand use responses as bouts rather than events has no significant effect on reports of hand use in nonhuman primates and, in fact, may unintentionally bias hand use toward the null hypothesis. Several suggestions for improvement in the measurement and statistical determination of individual handedness are offered in the article.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA.
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