Antropomotoryka nr 57 [2012]. - Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego ...

Functional and dynamic asymmetry in boys aged 10–12 yearsgeneous lateralization are considered to be normal [4].A look at a cross-lateralization model remains a mootpoint. Spionek [5] finds that non-homogeneity in theeye and hand causes poorer visuo-motor coordinationand translates into difficulties in learning to read andwrite. Subsequent studies show, however, that approximatelyone-third of the adult population is left-eyed andjuxtaposition with approximately 90% of the populationof the right-handed people, makes the existence of thecross-model pertaining to the eye and hand quite common[4]. Therefore, it may not be assumed that crosslateralizationis a developmental pathology or a causeof difficulties at school, as it may only accompany them.We may talk explicitly about disorders of lateralizationin relation to the presence of an undetermined model.At this point, our attention should be drawn to the notionof so-called ambidextrousness. The view that ambidextrouschildren use one hand and the other equally wellis erroneous. A comparative study on manual motor fitnessin children that represented various degrees andmodels of lateralization showed that dexterity of handsin originally ambidextrous children comes close to thedexterity shown by hands in “worse” children who werelateralized early and strongly [5].The information presented above indicates theimportance of lateralization for normal psychomotordevelopment in humans. From these theoretical considerationsfollows the aim of the research carried outfor the purposes of the present work. The cognitiveaim was to identify the changes present in functionaland dynamic asymmetry in boys between the ages of10 and 12 years as part of continuous research on thesame study group.To define the empirical procedure, the following researchquestions have been posed:1. What were the changes concerning the directionand profile of functional asymmetry in investigatedboys?2. What were the status and changes relating to motorabilities of the right and left sides of the bodies inthe investigated boys?3. What were the changes in the level of dynamicasymmetry of motor abilities in investigated boys?Material and methodsA group of 30 boys were selected for the purposes ofthe study. For 3 years, the tests were carried out at theend of September and the beginning of October. Thefirst study took place when children were 10 years old(fourth grade), the last tests when they were 12 yearsold (sixth grade), respectively. The tests were performedin a large town (more than 500,000 inhabitants)in southern Poland. The selection of research materialwas dependent on several factors. First, children atthis age undergo appropriate didactic and educationalprocedures, and it seems interesting to observe physicaldevelopment in children connected both with thenatural process of growing as well as that developmentinduced by specific didactic activities. Secondly, theselected school age is a period of certain stabilizationin a child’s development, particularly in boys, beforeadolescence [8]. Thirdly, according to the literature onthe subject, at about the age of 12 years, the directionof asymmetry in children’s bodies is finally established[4].The Wrocław Asymmetry Direction and Size Test,developed by Koszczyc and Sekita [9], was used forthe purposes of the study. It consists of two parts. First,functional asymmetry is evaluated (qualitative assessmentof sidedness). Assessment is based on observationof unrestricted choice made by a subject of hand,eye and foot to perform a given motor task. Accordingto the assumptions made by the authors of the test, thecredibility of the study is higher the more the subject’sattention is focused on the performance of the task andnot on the choice of the limb or eye for its completion.Thus, the description of trials and the manner of conductingthem was presented in the form of tasks. Thistest is comprised of 10 tasks. Two test trials (the first andthe last) pertain to an activity subject to social control;three of them are connected with handedness; threewith footedness; and two with eyedness, respectively.On the basis of the qualitative analysis of performedtrials, the sidedness of subjects in terms of the hand,foot, and eye is specified. Lateralization is determined(right or left) when in all tasks pertaining to the sameorgan or sense, a subject uses the same side of thebody. Sidedness is undetermined when, in trials connectedwith a given organ, a subject uses the left andright side of the body interchangeably. Subsequently,on the basis of data concerning sidedness, the directionand profile of asymmetry was determined. Thedirection is defined as the percentage of individualsin a given population characterized by specific sidednessregarding the investigated sense or motor organ.A profile may be defined as a system of sidedness inthe eye-hand-foot arrangement. The profile may be determinedas homogenous when the predominance ofall organs on one side of the body occurs (e.g., right-– 75 –