Research has shown that infants with increased right-hand selection for their first gestures perform better at an array of language tasks when they are tested later as toddlers. There is a smaller body of literature which focuses on preschoolers and how their right-handed movements relate to their speech and vocabulary development. Some research has established a connection between right-hand preference for grasping and speech production ability in preschool children, but the link to gestures is relatively unexplored in this age group. We investigated if lateralized gestures (pointing) are related to measures of language development (vocabulary) in a preschool-age sample. Specifically, typically developing children (aged 3–6) completed the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) to assess receptive language. We recorded their hand preference for pointing during the PPVT and the incidence of mistakes (pointing to the wrong picture). Despite the length of the test, children were more likely to select a correct response with their right hand. This result suggests a relationship between lateralized communicative gestures (pointing) and receptive language. This study provides evidence for an intimate relationship between right-handed manual movement and language development. Implications of this finding include developing simple fine-motor tasks to detect and/or ameliorate delayed language development.

中文翻译：

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哪只手知道“正确”的词？手选揭示了学龄前儿童和学龄儿童词汇的哪些方面

研究表明，当他们在蹒跚学步的时候接受测试时，对于第一个手势的右手选择增加的婴儿在一系列语言任务中表现更好。有一小部分文献关注学龄前儿童以及他们的右手动作如何与他们的言语和词汇发展相关联。一些研究已经确定了学龄前儿童的右手抓握偏好与言语产生能力之间的联系，但在这个年龄组中与手势的联系相对未被探索。我们调查了横向手势是否（指向）与学龄前样本中语言发展（词汇）的测量有关。具体来说，通常发育中的儿童（3-6 岁）完成了皮博迪图片词汇测试 (PPVT) 以评估接受性语言。我们记录了他们在 PPVT 期间手指指向的偏好和错误发生率（指向错误的图片）。尽管测试时间很长，但孩子们更有可能用右手选择正确的反应。这一结果表明了横向交流手势（指向）和接受性语言之间的关系。这项研究为右手手动动作和语言发展之间的密切关系提供了证据。这一发现的意义包括开发简单的精细运动任务来检测和/或改善延迟的语言发展。