Influences of handedness and gender on the Grooved Pegboard Test

We studied performance on the Grooved Pegboard Test upon repeated trials an d transfer of training between the hands in the first trial. The classifica tion of handedness was based on the writing hand. We employed three trials for each hand and two different protocols for the order in which the hands started the test. Far the three trials combined, women were faster than men . From the first to the second trial, there was an improvement in performan ce for both sexes. Within the first trial, sex differences reached signific ance and the protocol interacted with handedness. In this trial, only left- handed men were found to benefit from previous opposite hand performance. I t is speculated that a larger corpus callosum in left-handed men allows for the greater transfer of training between the hands. (C) 2000 Academic Pres s.