# Left Handed -- Right Handed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708 "2000-12-09T00:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@Clueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clueless)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/1 "2000-12-09T00:27:12Z")
Why are there more people who write with their right hand? I, being a lefty, is confused by this. Is there an advantage to writing with the right hand? And does anyone know the left handed to right handed ratio? Thanks, Clueless ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/2 "2000-12-09T00:57:05Z")
About 10% of the population is left-handed (like me). Many more are born left-handed but are forcibly “switched” to using their right hands by parents and/or teachers. Left-handedness has long denoted evil among superstitious people. There’s no good reason for it, but many people still switch their kids to this day. A good book on the subject is “The Left-Hander Syndrome” by Stanley Coren (though I think Cecil took issue with him on left-handers dying younger). Anyway, it can explain things a lot better than I can. ---
**Author:** ![Eggs\_a\_la\_Ted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Eggs\_a\_la\_Ted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eggs_a_la_Ted)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/3 "2000-12-09T01:34:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clueless \* > **Is there an advantage to writing with the right hand?** Well, you don’t accidentally smudge the written text with your hand as much lefties do. Assuming of course you write from left to right. [slight hijack] The fact that we DO write in that direction might be a consequence of most people being right-handed, though. But then why are some languages written from left to right? [/slight hijack] ---
**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/4 "2000-12-09T02:47:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, you don’t accidentally smudge the written text with your hand as much lefties do. Assuming of course you write from left to right. I’m also a left-hander, and I’ve never understood why all of my fellow left-handers write using that contorted style they all seem to use (with the left hand curled around 270 degrees like that) while forcing themselves to write left-to-right. I just rotate the paper 90 degrees clockwise (so that the “top” of the page is pointing to the right) and write that way, with my left elbow acting as a fulcrum while I write my text “top-down”. Very comfortable, and my hand isn’t smudging the text that I just wrote. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/5 "2000-12-09T03:20:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by woodstockbirdybird \* > **"The Left-Hander Syndrome" by Stanley Coren (though I think Cecil took issue with him on left-handers dying younger)** There _is_ correlational evidence of left-handers dying younger, however, its quite likely that this result is simply due to the fact that many people were forced to change handedness when they were young. The numbers I remember are that about 85% of young adults are right-handed, but 100% of people over 80 are right-handed. Hence, the idea that right-handers live longer. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/6 "2000-12-09T03:36:53Z")
the lefty, righty ratio can shift. in college, my class would have about 2-3 lefties per class, all of us fighting for the one lefty seat. so about a 10 righty to 1 lefty ratio. at work (an arch, eng. firm) it is 2-3 righties to 1 lefty. we have a 7 pricipal firm, of those 7 principals, 3 are lefties. general office staff: 12 righties, 3 lefties. there are cultural taboos as well. in school i wrote lefthanded. on saturdays i was forced to go to russian school, there was no such thing as a lefty. so i wrote righthanded. my mother still won’t believe i write lefthanded. i’m not sure if being lefthanded will ever go over in parts of the world. ---
**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/7 "2000-12-09T05:44:19Z")
It’s inborn, some other brain functions are connected to “handiness”, e.g., speech. The predominant leg may be different. ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/8 "2000-12-09T07:01:09Z")
> [@](#): > > The numbers I remember are that about 85% of young adults are right-handed, but 100% of people over 80 are right-handed. Hence, the idea that right-handers live longer. \*\* This Is not at all true. I can name 3 people over the age of 80 that are left handed. One of them is my mother who will be 85 this month. If I can name that many off the top of my head there have to be a statisticly significant number out there. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/9 "2000-12-09T12:26:34Z")
I use scissors with my right hand. I shoot a gun right-handed. I talk on the phone using my right hand. I play guitar right-handed. Yet, I **write** with my left hand. I throw a ball with my left hand. So am I left-handed or right-handed? ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/10 "2000-12-09T12:35:15Z")
I play hockey and do cartwheels left-handed. Sometimes I play minature golf left-handed as well, but I can never remember what seems to work less badly. Everything else, I do right-handed. I always use the hand you write with as the determining factor. ---
**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/11 "2000-12-09T16:39:45Z")
Crafter\_Man, my guess would be that you are lefty, that your predominant eye and your predominant ear are right. You play guitar with your right hand, but your left hand is doing something important too. With what hand would you play violin:)? In most people the left side of the brain receives slightly more blood than the left one. I do not know whether this fact is related to hand or other organs dominance or to the longer life span. There are Licennsed Board Certified Medical Doctors on this MB, they must know the answers. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/12 "2000-12-09T18:07:10Z")
I have heard that the earlier death rate (just statistics, folks, so don’t worry about your anecdotal contrary evidence) might be due to the society favoring righties, so lefties come to more little and big accidents (eg, using tools and machines built for right handed people, pulling the front bicycle brake more forcefully, etc). Be careful about cause-effect versus correlation-- they don’t die because lefties do so naturally-- it’s culturally determined I think in this case. ---
**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/13 "2000-12-09T20:51:37Z")
[QUOTEI shoot a gun right-handed. … I play guitar right-handed.[/QUOTE] I’m left-handed, but I do the above right-handed as well. Both are a result of limited options, though… 1. The (single-shot) shotgun my father bought me as a kid was right-handed. Ever tried to work the release on a right-handed shotgun while holding it left-handed? It’s not a pretty sight \. It wasn’t long before I gave up and learned to shoot right-handed. 2. The fellow whose guitar I used to borrow while learning how to play in college was right-handed. I understand that when left-handed Joan Baez was in a similar situation, she simply turned the borroed guitar around and learned how to play it left-handed and with the bass strings on the bottom, but I wasn’t that good/clever - I just learned to play right-handed instead. (Many left-handers learn to play golf right-handed for similar reasons, but when I was first learning how to play I got lucky and found a fellow left-hander who would loan me his clubs.) ---
**Author:** ![socpro69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@socpro69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/socpro69)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/14 "2000-12-09T21:54:49Z")
I was one of the lefties forced to write with my right hand as a youngster. They tried to change me back a few years later but failed. Now all my dexterity is in my right hand and all my strength in my left arm. ---
**Author:** ![RickQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@RickQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickQ)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/15 "2000-12-09T22:26:02Z")
I am pretty much completely left handed. One thing that I have always found odd is the both my dad and my uncle play golf (I could even just finish the sentance there, but I should not get on about golf) left handed even though they are both right handed for writing etc. Also, I have a couple of friends who kick a ball with their “wrong” foot. Just on a slightly different topic, it has always amazed me how proffesional soccer players can not seem to use their other foot, the one that is not their natural kicking foot. I mean, all they do all day is kick a ball, learn to use your other foot!!! \ One thing that I’m sure a lot of people have experienced too is if you break/damage your writing arm and you have to use the other arm. I did when I was at college and I ahve to learn to write with my right hand PDQ. TTFN Rick ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/16 "2000-12-09T22:30:48Z")
Blood flow adapts to usage. You should see in left handed people a bigger blood flow to the right side of the brain. As a side note, left handed people may have a selective advantage when it comes to brain damage and stroke. Righties have all of their major functions for language and writing in their left hemispheres (their dominant cortex). In about 50% of lefties, IIRC, this is switched so that the major functions are handled by the right hemisphere (as you would expect). But the other 50% have these areas dispersed – some on the left, some on the right. In these individuals, a large right- or left- sided MCA stroke may not cause the language/writing/communication difficulties that you would see in people with all their dominant functions on one side of their head. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/17 "2000-12-09T22:44:28Z")
O/K/ I’ve updated my “handiness” list: **Right** Dominance - scissors - shooting a gun (right hand on trigger) - guitar (right hand picking) - bowling - kicking a ball - My right ear is dominate (I use my right ear when using the telephone) - My right eye is dominate (I use my right eye to look through a telescope) **Left** Dominance - _writing_ - throwing a ball - batting - golf swing - My left arm is strongest (I also flush the toilet w/ my left hand. But doesn’t everybody? 😉 So I have a new question: Why does _writing_ determine whether you’re right or left handed? Oh, one more thing: I drive on the left side of the road. This has proven to be the most problematic aspect of my “handiness” because I live in the U.S. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/18 "2000-12-10T00:31:31Z")
My 80-year-old grandma was naturally a leftie but was put through the usual childhood trauma (well, it was usual in 1926, I guess) of having her left hand tied to her chair so she couldn’t use it to write. I’m not sure which hand she actually uses more, but she claims to be ambidextrous. Mom’s a leftie too…hmm, I wonder if her father was? Because my dad was right-handed, and my brother and I both are. But her husband now is another leftie…watch out, they’re gonna take over the world! Aaaaagh! _g_ ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/19 "2000-12-10T00:35:45Z")
IIRC, writing is considered such a complex activity that it alone can determine someone’s “handedness”. ---
**Author:** ![nebuli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/0ea827/32.png) [@nebuli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nebuli)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708/20 "2000-12-10T05:13:48Z")
I read Coren’s book years ago, and have to say I was not very impressed with his evidence that lefthanders have on average shorter lifespans than righties. His main evidence was researching the major league baseball register to compare lifespans of righthanded ballplayers vs. lefthanded ones (it was the best readymade database he could find that both handedness and lifespan data on a large group of individuals). IIRC, he restricted his study to those who both batted and threw from the same side. He found about a 9 year difference in lifespan. However, I think anyone with a little knowledge of baseball should be able to spot a glaring bias in his sample. Lefthanders are not spread evenly throughout all the positions on a ball field. They are vastly over-represented in the pitching and first base positions, and non-existent as shortstops and second basemen for instance. Now it so happens, that short and second positions require much more mobility, and thus tend to be more lithe and a little smaller, while many pitchers and first basemen are, to be charitable, big paunchy lummoxes. So the difference in lifespans may actually be a result of differences in size, and not of handedness. Re the cause of lefthandedness: one theory which is currently being investigated is that rightside dominance is the result of a dominant gene which results in the individuals who have at least one copy of it developing rightsidedness for all functions (my family is taking part in one such study). Individuals who do not have at least one copy of the gene will still usually develop a side preference for each function, but it will be essentially random, and independent of the other functions. In other words if you don’t have the gene, it’s 50/50 whether you’ll be right or left handed, 50/50 whether you’ll be right or left legged, 50/50 whether you’ll be right or left eyed, etc. F’rinstance, I know I’m lefthanded, leftfooted, and right eye dominant. ( Eye dominance shouldn’t be confused with better vision, which is dependent on each eye’s lens, but means which eye your brain favors, even if it’s vision isn’t as good as the other eye. A very simple test to determine your dominant eye- stand on one side of a room extend your arm out fully. Line up your index finger with something on the far wall. Close one eye and see how much parallax movement there is. Then open that eye and close the other and again observe the parallax. There will usually be a noticible difference in the magnitude of the movement. The eye with the lesser movement is your dominant eye.) If the above theory is correct, it implies that for every lefthander, there is a genetically similar righthander. Several years ago the was an article in one of the issues of the Science Times section of the New York Times which claimed studies showed that the best baseball hitters were those with cross dominance between their eyes and their batting side, i.e right eyed and batting leftie or left eyed and batting rightie. If that is correct, then it suggests a further problem with Coren’s study- many of the rightie batting and throwing players whom he was using as his typical righthander may in fact have been left eyed, and thus not part of the truly rightside dominant population he assumed they were. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-right-handed/44708.md?page=2)