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159]

Original Article

Relationship between Dominant Hand and Ear Preference for Listening

among Medical Students
Sandeep Sachdeva, Nidhi Dwivedi

Department of Community Objective: The aim of the study was to determine dominant hand for routine

Abstract
Medicine, North DMC
Medical College and Hindu
activities and ear preference for listening among medical students. Mobile
Rao Hospital, New Delhi, phone usage was also studied. Methodology: Medical students of three batches
India (2nd, 3rd, and 4th year) studying in a government medical college of Delhi (India)
were considered. Out of 150 permitted  (50 per batch) seats, only 139 were
filled. Thus, after seeking an informed consent, a total of 117 (84.1%) available
students could be contacted in person who completed the survey capturing
details such as Section‑I: Sociodemographic background; Section‑II: Dominant
hand (right/left) for undertaking routine activities, ear (right/left) preference for
listening say mobile phones; and Section‑III: Selected details of their mobile
phones. Results: There were 71 (60.7%) males and 46 (39.3%) female students;
It was found out that out of 117 students, 110 (94.0%) were right handed while
7  (5.9%) were left handed. Out of all the right‑handed persons  (n  =  110),
94  (85.4%) preferred right ear, 14  (12.7%) left ear, and 2  (1.8%) either of the
ears for listening phone. Similarly, out of all the left‑handed persons  (n  =  07),
6  (85.7%) preferred left ear and only 1  (14.2%) right ear for listening mobile
phone. Right‑sided  (right hand‑right ear) laterality was observed in 85.4% and
left‑sided  (left hand‑left ear) laterality in 85.7% with overall  (same hand‑same
ear) laterality of 85.4% among study participants  (P  <  0.01). Most common
color of mobile phone was black (59, 50.4%), white  (30, 25.6%), golden  (13,
11.1%), silver (6, 5.1%), etc. Average time spent per day by medical students on
mobile phones  (either communication, Internet/WhatsApp/Facebook, listening
songs, playing games, or reading E‑books) was 3.83  (±2.1) h and average
monthly expenditure on mobile phone was 10% of personal expenditure,
i.e.,  Rs. 532  (±374.4). Conclusion: Our descriptive study reiterates that most
participants were right handed  (dominant limb) and majority of them preferred
right ear for listening phones.

Received: 23‑08‑2017 Keywords: Audiometer, auditory, communication, hemisphere dominance,

Accepted: 03-11-2017 lateralization, phone

Introduction as well as voluntary and involuntary actions, etc.,

Genetic constitution, education, attitude, culture, social
O bserving normal people reveals that majority (85%)
are right handed, some left handed, while the rest
are considered ambidextrous, i.e.,  they can use both
upbringing, and environment influence our personality
and mannerism in public arena.
the left and right limbs equally. The anatomical and Address for correspondence: Dr. Sandeep Sachdeva,
functional asymmetries are linked with individual Department of Community Medicine, North DMC Medical
differences in cerebral organization.[1] Functional College and Hindu Rao Hospital, New Delhi ‑ 110 007, India.
asymmetry between two halves of the brain controls E‑mail: sachdevadr@yahoo.in

the consciousness, memory, speech, intelligence

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DOI: How to cite this article: Sachdeva S, Dwivedi N. Relationship between

10.4103/MJDRDYPU.MJDRDYPU_165_17 dominant hand and ear preference for listening among medical
students. Med J DY Patil Vidyapeeth 2018;11:307-11.

© 2018 Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 307
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Sachdeva and Dwivedi: Handedness and ear preference
Neuropsychologists have long been interested in
handedness as a possible indirect measure of cerebral
lateralization. Indeed majority of right‑handers have
language skills lateralized to the left hemisphere.
However, this is also the case for about 67%–85% of
left‑handers.[2,3] Even after the development of accurate
and reliable neuroimaging methods, hand preference
is still often used as a proxy for cerebral lateralization,
presumably because it is a cheap and very accessible
measure.
Some researchers simply categorized people as left
handed or right handed based on the hand used to hold
a pen when writing.[4] Quantitative measures to assess
handedness include peg moving, finger tapping, or
dotting within a boundary and assessed through various
inventory methods such as Edinburgh Handedness
Inventory; Annett’s peg‑moving test, and Quantification
of Hand Preference (QHP) task.[5‑7] The inventory and the
QHP task measure preference, whereas the peg‑moving
task measures relative skill. While the inventory
summarizes the consistency of hand preference across
different activities, the QHP task uses a behavioral
continuum to characterize individual variation in hand
preference.
The evidence suggests that the asymmetrical functioning
of the two halves of the brain for speech is reflected in
unequal perception of words presented dichotically to left
and right ears. In normal participants, speech functions
will be represented predominantly in the left hemisphere,
and the left cerebral dominance will be reflected in
a right‑ear superiority on the dichotic  (simultaneous
presentation of different stimuli to the two ears) digits
test.[8]
The aim of the study was to assess the relationship
between handedness  (dominant right/left hand) for
undertaking routine activities and ear preference for
listening among medical students. Mobile phone was
used as an indicator for citing ear preference for listening.
In addition, mobile phone usage pattern by medical
students was also studied.
Methodology
A cross‑sectional descriptive study was conducted in
a government medical college of Delhi, India. Medical
students of three batches  (2nd, 3rd, and 4th  year) were
considered and invited to participate during April
2017. Students were briefed about the study objectives,
voluntary nature of participation, and confidentiality
of data collection. However, none of them declined
to participate. Complete enumeration was the sample
strategy, and out of 150 permitted (50 students per batch)
seats, only 139 were filled. Thus, after seeking an
308 Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth  ¦  Volume 11  ¦  Issue 4  ¦  July-August 2018
informed consent, a total of 117  (84.1%) available
students could be contacted in person who completed the
interview survey.
The study instrument was divided into three sections and
captured variables such as Section‑I: Sociodemographic
details; Section‑II: Response was elicited to
ascertain dominant hand  (right/left) for undertaking
routine activities, ear preference for listening say
mobile phones; and Section‑III: Details of their
mobile phones  –  brand, color, usage pattern, monthly
expenditure, etc.
There was no missing values or incomplete schedule.
The data were entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
and analysis carried out using SPSS version  20
(IBM, New  York, USA) through descriptive and
inferential statistics and considered significant at P < 0.05.
Results
Out of 117 students, 71  (60.7%) were male and
46  (39.3%) female; average age was 20  (±1.15) years;
native place of 77  (65.8%) students was Delhi and
rest  (34.2%) were from states outside Delhi but within
country; 79  (67.5%) students were staying in hostel;
94  (80.3%) students passed their 12th  class from
private/convent school whereas rest  (19.7%) from
government school.
It was found out that out of 117 students, 110  (94.0%)
were right  (dominant) handed while 7  (5.9%) were
left handed  [Table  1]. Out of all the right‑handed
persons  (n  =  110), 94  (85.4%) preferred right ear,
14  (12.7%) left ear, and 2  (1.8%) either of the ears for
listening phone. Similarly, out of all the left‑handed
persons  (n  =  07), 6  (85.7%) preferred left ear and
only 1  (14.2%) preferred right ear for listening mobile
phone  [Figure  1]. Right‑sided laterality was observed
in 85.4% and left‑sided laterality in 85.7% with
overall laterality of 85.4% among study participants.
This observation was found to be highly statistically
significant (P < 0.01).
The top five brands of mobile phones used by medical
students were Samsung (30, 25.6%), Apple (18, 15.4%),
Table 1: Practices among medical students regarding
dominant hand for undertaking routine activities and
ear preference for listening
Handedness Ear preference for listening/placing Total
(predominant phones
hand) Right ear (%) Left ear (%) Either ear (%)
Right hand 94 (85.4) 14 (12.7) 2 (1.8) 110
Left hand 1 (14.3) 6 (85.7) 0 7
P<0.01
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Sachdeva and Dwivedi: Handedness and ear preference

Motorola (15, 12.8%), HTC (8, 6.8%), Xiomi (7, 6.0%), Discussion

etc., Most common color of mobile phone was black Our study primarily focused among young adults on
(59, 50.4%), white  (30, 25.6%), golden  (13, 11.1%), inferring dominant handedness and ear preference for
and silver  (6, 5.1%), followed by miscellaneous colors. listening. It was found out that of all the participants,
All the students possessed a smartphone; however, their 94.0% were right handed while 6% were left
usage of phone varied. Table  2 depicts frequency and handed in terms of dominant hand. Overall right ear
pattern of mobile phone usage among medical students preference was noted among 95  (81.1%) participants
as proportion. Among daily users of mobile phones, (among with either of dominant hand). Right‑sided
(right hand‑right ear) laterality was observed in 85.4%
22.0% of students were communicating frequently;
and left‑sided (left hand‑left ear) laterality in 85.7% with
28% were accessing the internet frequently; 34.1% were
overall  (same hand‑same ear) laterality of 85.4% among
listening to songs frequently, but only 18.3% and 12.2% study participants. This observation was found to be
were playing games and reading E‑books on frequent highly statistically significant (P < 0.01).
bases.
The genesis of this study emerged during personal
Average time spent per day by medical students evaluation of an apparently healthy, right handed,
on mobile phones  (either communication, ambulatory, average built 45‑year‑old patient, clerk
internet/WhatsApp/Facebook, listening songs, playing by profession who presented in outpatient department
games, or reading E‑books) was 3.83  (±2.1) h with of our health center. The chief complaints for last
95% confidence interval  (CI) as 3.3–4.3  h. The average couple of months were that he was not comfortable in
hearing while placing his phone on the right ear, his
monthly personal expenditure was Rs. 5191.4  (±3207.5)
usual practice. As a result, he had to repeatedly switch
and average monthly expenditure on mobile phone was
over to the left ear for better audibility. The patient
Rs. 532 (±374.4) with 95% CI of 450.4–614.9 Rs. was subsequently escorted to ENT department of our
hospital for evaluation and management. External ear,
90.0% 85.70% 85.40%
tympanic membrane was normal; however, audiometric
investigation was suggestive of age related both sided
Right ear
80.0% impairment with profound impairment for high frequency
Left ear noted in the right ear.
70.0%
Either ear
Hemisphere dominance has been a major topic in brain
60.0%
research for over a century. The two hemispheres of
50.0% the brain are symmetrical in appearance though certain
functions are differentially entitled in the two sides of
40.0%
the brain. The structure and function of paired organ or
30.0% of two similarly organized areas of nonpaired organs,
dispersed on the left and right sides, can be referred
20.0% 14.30% 12.70% as laterality.[9] Language dominance refers to the
10.0%
hemisphere of the brain that is primarily responsible for
0
1.80% language development, which is the left hemisphere in
0.0% most people. In right‑handers, speech center is located
Left hand Right hand
in the left hemisphere in 95% of individuals, while in
Figure 1: Graph depicting strong lateralization between dominant hand remaining 5%, it is situated in the right hemisphere. Most
and ear preference for listening phones people with left brain dominance are right handed.[10]

Table 2: Percentage of medical students according to average daily usage pattern of mobile phone use
Use mobile phone for Average daily use
Always (%) Often (%) Frequently (%) Occasionally (%) Rarely (%) Not using (%)
Verbal communication (100%) 11.0 19.5 22.0 29.3 14.6 ‑
Internet/social sites (96.3%) 13.4 25.6 28.0 22.0 7.3 3.7
Listening songs (96.3%) 7.3 22.0 34.1 18.3 14.6 3.7
Games (85.4%) 3.7 15.9 18.3 19.5 28 14.6
E‑book (74.4%) 1.2 6.1 12.2 30.5 24.4 25.6

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Sachdeva and Dwivedi: Handedness and ear preference
On the corollary, among left‑handers, speech center is
located in the left hemisphere among 60% individuals,
right hemisphere for 20%, and remaining 20% in either
of hemisphere.[11‑13] In humans, there are four paramount
lateral preferences, among which handedness and
footedness are concerned with motor functions of limbs
and earedness and eyedness with sensory functions. As
a population, humans show lateralization with 90% of
adults being right handed that is suggestive of genetic
predisposition running in families.[14,15]
Our data reiterate that most people perform their activities
of daily living using their right hand. Of the right‑handed
people, most held their mobile phones to their right ear,
either owing to motor preference of using their right
hand or because of an aspect of auditory dominance,
a finding that is consistent with other observational
studies that most people prefer to listen with their right
ear.[16,17] Similar results were found in preclinical students
in a university of Benin, Nigeria.[18] Sociodemography
had little bearing on these results. It is reported that
having a hearing difference does have an impact on
ear preference.[17] First, persons who hear better in their
left ear are more likely to use the left ear regardless of
handedness. Second, persons who hear equally well
in both ears are more likely to use their dominant
hand‑side ear and the same‑side ear. Third, for those who
hear better in the right ear, the probability of using the
dominant hand side with a cell phone is  >50% as in our
case. Therefore, preference usage of contralateral ear by a
person may suggest hearing impairment in the ipsilateral
side requiring audiometric confirmation.
Mobile phone has become a critical element in human
life more, so among younger generation due to its
diverse functions and utility, it offers to the consumer.
Mobile has transformed social practices and changed the
way we communicate and do business, yet surprisingly,
we have little perception of their effect in our lives.[19]
In a study  (2015) of mobile usage, among 200 medical
students at Kolhapur  (Maharashtra, India), it was
found that 65.5% were using mobile for  >2  h/day;
56.5% were using the mobiles “regularly” during the
college hours; 60% of students were spending more
than Rs. 200/‑  per month on mobile phones, etc.[20] In
another study carried out  (2015) in Banaras  (India),
majority  (41.82%) of medical students were found to
be spending between Rs. 200/‑  and 400/‑  while about
11% students spent  >Rs. 600/month on their phones;
11.2% were always online, etc.[21] In a study carried
out  (2011) in Puducherry  (India), among 309 medical
students, average communication time was 59.5 min and
39.8% were frequent caller/receiver per day, etc.[22] The
average monthly expenditure among medical students
310 Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth  ¦  Volume 11  ¦  Issue 4  ¦  July-August 2018
on mobile phone was Rs. 271/‑  in a medical college of
Bhavnagar, Gujarat.[23] In our study sample, average time
spent per day by medical students on mobile phones was
3.83 (±2.1) hours; 69.5% of medical students were using
mobile for  >2  h/day; 54.8% were incurring average
monthly expenditure of Rs. 500/‑  on mobile phones.
Some of the students were incurring high personal
expenditure including electricity bills for running
air‑conditioners. Approximately 10% of personal
monthly expenditure was incurred on mobile phones.
Sociodemography had little statistical bearing on these
results also. It is noted that over the years, the utility and
dependency of mobile phone is increasing among youth
that may have profound adverse health consequences
including psychological, visual, and auditory ill‑effects.
In conclusion, our study reiterates that of all the
participants, 94.0% were right handed while 6% were left
handed in terms of dominant hand for undertaking routine
activities. Overall right ear preference was noted among
95  (81.1%) participants  (among with either of dominant
hand); right sided  (right hand‑right ear) laterality was
observed in 85.4% and left‑sided (left hand‑left ear)
laterality in 85.7% with overall laterality (same hand‑same
ear) of 85.4% among study participants.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
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