A MULTITASK ASSESSMENT OF HAND LATERALIZATION IN CAPUCHIN MONKEYS (CEBUS-APELLA)

Eight tasks were presented to ten tufted capuchin monkeys and hand pre ferences were recorded for each subject on each task. The strength of hand preferences varied accross tasks. Although no significant populat ion-level left- or right-hand bias emerged for any of the tasks, there was a tendency toward greater left-hand use in a task requiring the u se of probing tools. The data also confirm that simple reaching is of limited value as a measure of hand preference. Hand preferences in cap uchin monkeys appear to be determined by a number of individual, speci es, and environmental factors.