Individual and familial patterns in four dimensions of lateral preferences

Laterality of hand, foot, eye and ear were assessed for biologically-related individuals. Although mother-offspring resemblances were found for hand and ear, the pattern of correlation does not conform to that expected on the basis of genetic determination. All four indices of laterality seem to be correlated; however, the difference in the degree of association among the forms of laterality suggests that a single causal mechanism is unlikely to account for all manifestations of lateral preference of limb and sense organ.