# The right-left of clasping hands **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2020, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712 "2020-02-10T04:02:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![seetha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seetha/32/18835_2.png) [@seetha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seetha)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/1 "2020-02-10T04:02:18Z")
When asked to clasp our hands, some of us seem to have the right thumb on top and some of us seem to have the left thumb on top. Ever noticed this? Check it out with a bunch of freiends / family. This does not seems to be connected with our right/left handedness. Sure, we can clasp it the other way too (if we tried consciously) but it just feels a bit weird… What’s going on …? Do we have a scientific explanation? – Oh, i have the right thumb on top, btw 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/2 "2020-02-10T04:22:05Z")
I’m right-handed, and my upper hand when clapping is the right hand. That’s also the more active hand in the process, don’t know if that makes a statistical difference. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/3 "2020-02-10T05:03:56Z")
I just polled my immediate family. 2 RH, 2 LH, all left thumb on top. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/4 "2020-02-10T05:20:37Z")
[Old thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=611519&highlight=clasp+hands) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/5 "2020-02-10T05:21:09Z")
I think it’s correlated with right/left handedness, though the correlation is much less than unity. When you cross your arms across your chest, which arm is on top? For righties it’s usually the left arm. When playing bridge, righties usually hold the cards with left hand and select plays with right hand. _I do all three of the above things the way a leftie does_, though I do most tasks as a rightie. (I was switched from leftie to rightie by one of my early teachers. This is one of my go-to excuses for my clumsiness and personality disorders. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![seetha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seetha/32/18835_2.png) [@seetha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seetha)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/6 "2020-02-10T05:40:57Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > [Old thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=611519&highlight=clasp+hands) Oh … nice. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/7 "2020-02-10T06:43:16Z")
About 40 years ago, I heard that this was a hereditary thing. Don’t remember much more about it, though, like where I heard it. Most likely in some college class. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/8 "2020-02-10T07:05:30Z")
Next step. Do you have a partner that you often hold hands with? Try the same exercise, but with your partner. Then switch sides. By myself, I put my left thumb over my right thumb. But when I (F) hold hands with my partner (M), it’s more more comfortable for his thumb to be over mine. Both sides. My theory is that it’s more comfortable as his hand is a bit bigger than mine. He also puts his left thumb over his left thumb. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/9 "2020-02-10T08:50:48Z")
My right thumb is on top. I’m right handed: so, right index finger, left thumb, right thumb is the final stacking. ETA: As for folded arms, my right arm is on top. I actually struggle to try to fold them with my left arm on top. I can barely figure out how to do it! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/10 "2020-02-10T10:50:18Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > He also puts his left thumb over his left thumb. How dexterous of him. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/11 "2020-02-10T11:24:50Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > How dexterous of him. Yes, quite adroit, I must say. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/12 "2020-02-10T12:23:32Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > > > He also puts his left thumb over his left thumb. > > How dexterous of him. Sounds sinister, to me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/13 "2020-02-10T15:04:10Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > Sounds sinister, to me. Not to mention gauche. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/14 "2020-02-10T15:30:47Z")
Thorough righty here. I have left thumb on top. Left arm on top. I deal cards either way, probably more often with pack in right hand. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/15 "2020-02-10T17:02:50Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > When you cross your arms across your chest, which arm is on top? For righties it’s usually the left arm. Do you mean “on top” as in “closer to the ceiling”? Or as in “forearm on top of the other forearm”? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/16 "2020-02-10T17:19:50Z")
I’m right handed, with my left thumb on top. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/17 "2020-02-10T17:48:42Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’m right-handed, and my upper hand when clapping is the right hand. That’s also the more active hand in the process, don’t know if that makes a statistical difference. Please disregard this post. I posted when I was overdue for bed and read “clapping hands” instead of “clasping hands”. :smack:😃 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/18 "2020-02-11T12:44:37Z")
I thought it was almost universal that the right thumb would be on top. At summer camp, I learned a trick where you clasp your hands upside-down with your arms crossed, then put your index fingers on each side of your nose and then uncross your arms. Then you challenge someone else to do the same trick and they can’t do it – the reason being that it only works if you clasp your hands the “wrong” way. It’s hard to describe and I’m not sure how to do an internet search for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/19 "2020-02-11T12:54:51Z")
Yes, my left thumb is on top. It feels balanced and comfortable. I tried intentionally reversing it, and it feels out of balance and uncomfortable. I favor the right hand but am ambidextrous. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712/20 "2020-02-11T23:12:21Z")
Right handed. Left thumb on top. When I cross my arms, my right arm is on top. And I wring a cloth “righty-tighty”. Interestingly, when I’m carring a load of stuff and want a hand free to, say, open a doorknob, the right arm is the one that holds the pile of stuff and the left one does the door-opening. I also hold my phone in my right hand and type on it with my left. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-right-left-of-clasping-hands/847712.md?page=2)