Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
Spring 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Department
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Advisor(s)
Dennis Blanton
Leslie Harlacker
Richard Lawler
Abstract
Although there is literature on psychological, anthropological, and biological reasons for global preferential right-handedness, there has yet to be literature studying the connection among these three disciplines. The goal of this pilot study is to shed light on the correlation of handedness and Oldowan tool manufacturing in order to provide direction for future study. By taking a cross-disciplinary perspective on evolutionary advantages, genetics, and brain lateralization, it is believed researchers may be able to understand why 90% of the human population is preferentially right-handed. This study concludes that there is a correlation between handedness and toolmaking efficiency, and that further exploration is needed into the relationship of handedness and Oldowan tool production.
Recommended Citation
Dymon, Jessica, "Handedness and the Oldowan tool industry: Is preferential right-handedness a relic from our evolutionary past?" (2018). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 600.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/600
