Handedness effects of imagined fine motor movements

Donoff, Christopher M.; Madan, Christopher R.; Singhal, Anthony

Abstract

Previous studies of movement imagery have found inter-individual differences in the ability to imagine whole-body movements. The majority of these studies have used subjective scales to measure imagery ability, which may be confounded by other factors related to effort. Madan and Singhal [2013. Introducing TAMI: An objective test of ability in movement imagery. Journal of Motor Behavior, 45(2), 153–166. doi:10.1080/00222895.2013.763764] developed the Test of Ability in Movement Imagery (TAMI) to address these confounds by using a multiple-choice format with objectively correct responses. Here we developed a novel movement imagery questionnaire targeted at assessing movement imagery of fine-motor hand movements. This questionnaire included two subscales: Functionally-involved Movement (i.e., tool-related) and Isolated Movement (i.e., hand-only). Hand-dominance effects were observed, such that right-handed participants were significantly better at responding to right-hand questions compared to left-hand questions for both imagery types. A stronger handedness effect was observed for Functionally-involved Movement imagery, and it did not correlate with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. We propose that the Functionally-involved Movement imagery subscale provides an objective hand imagery test that induces egocentric spatial processing and a greater involvement of memory processes, potentially providing a better skill-based measure of handedness.

Citation

Donoff, C. M., Madan, C. R., & Singhal, A. (2018). Handedness effects of imagined fine motor movements. Laterality, 23(2), 228-248. https://doi.org/10.1080/1357650X.2017.1354870

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 6, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jul 19, 2017
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Sep 13, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 13, 2017
• Journal: Laterality
• Print ISSN: 1357-650X
• Electronic ISSN: 1464-0678
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 228-248
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1357650X.2017.1354870
• Keywords: movement imagery; handedness; imagery; tool use; objects
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/963799
• Publisher URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1357650X.2017.1354870
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Laterality on 19 July 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/1357650X.2017.1354870.