Handedness and the Development of Direction and Sequencing in Children's Drawings of People

Abstract

The effect of age and handedness on directionality and sequence in drawing was studied in 389 right‐ and left‐handed children aged from 2 to 11 years. Preschool right‐handers were more likely to draw right to left and to produce circles in a clockwise direction. In contrast, preschool left handers drew left to right with anti‐clockwise circle production. By the age of 9 to 11 years right‐handers had switched to predominantly left to right drawing with anti‐clockwise circle production and left‐handers to right to left, drawing and clockwise circle production. Irrespective of handedness, preschool children tended to begin at the bottom of the drawing and work towards the top, whereas the older groups tended to draw from the top to the bottom. It is suggested that these rules of directionality and sequencing may influence how children respond to writing instruction.