Influence of target location, task complexity, and gender on children's use of their preferred foot.

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to compare the choice of foot of right-footed children with varying strengths of foot preference when performing two tasks of different levels of complexity at three spatial locations. 30 right-footed children were tested. The results showed that the general tendency to use one's preferred foot to interact with an object is more or less pronounced depending on the object's location and the complexity of the task. The children used their non-preferred left foot more often during the simple task and when the object was presented to the left. Our findings also revealed interactions between gender, age, and spatial location. At five, girls used globally less their left foot than boys. In addition, girls used their preferred right foot more frequently than boys when the object was presented to the left. Based on these results, it can be concluded that foot selection depends on foot preference, task demand, environmental context, and biological factors associated with motor dominance.