Ever wondered why some people prefer to use their left hand for every task, such as writing, eating, cutting with a knife or scissors, brushing teeth, etc? The simplest answer can be that they are born lefties, which means they do so because nature has made them that way. But the real question is, why is it so?

While very little is known about what influences hand preference, science tells us that the brain wiring is different in left-handed and right-handed people. Let’s dig deeper into it to understand why it happens.

As we all know, the brain is split into two roughly similar halves called hemispheres and is cross-wired, with the left hemisphere controlling the right side of the body and the right hemisphere controlling the left side of the body. The two sides of the brain are separated by a deep longitudinal fissure, and the two hemispheres are connected by a bundle of nerve fibres called the ‘corpus callosum’, which allows the right and left hemispheres to communicate with each other. Though for most tasks, both sides of the brain work together, each side specialises in some things and works harder on those than the other side.

The brain is different for left-handed and right-handed people. The main difference is that the area of the motor cortex (generate signals to control the movement of the body) that controls the hand is bigger on the left side in right-handers, and bigger on the right side in left-handers.

Besides the brain wiring, according to recent research, genes also play a role in hand preference. While scientists have not yet recognised any particular gene that determines handedness, they believe that a single gene might be passed from parents to children to influence which hand a child favours. Research also suggests that lots of different genes may ‘add up’ to produce a left-handed person.

On average, worldwide 12% of the people are left handed, 87% right handed, and 1% ambidextrous, i.e. they can use both hands equally. The percentage of left-handers vary by country and gender, and it is believed that more men are left-handed than women.

While it is natural which hand you prefer, many people try and force children to learn to eat and write with their right hand. There were times when children who were naturally left-handed were forced to use their right hand. Though these days, left-handedness is more acceptable, still lefties are often made to feel awkward and told to use their right hand, especially for eating. Experience and science shows that if someone is naturally left-handed he/she shouldn’t be forced to use their right hand. It will only confuse them and not correct them if they are so naturally wired.

It is believed that people whose left hand is dominant have peculiar and unique personality traits. Let’s see what they are good at.

Adapt quickly

Left-handed people are better at adapting to changes and come up with creative solutions to handle things and function effectively in different situations. It may be because most things in the world are built for right-handed individuals and they learn to adapt to it and hence their ability to adapt increases.

Better at multi-tasking

Since lefties are known for thinking from a different perspective, they are better at multi-tasking and get things done efficiently. This is because right-handed people tend to solve problems by breaking them down into parts and analysing each piece one at a time. However, left-handed people tend to look at the problem as a whole and use pattern-matching to try and solve it.

Have leadership qualities

Left-handers are believed to be more creative, think critically and have better problem-solving skills, which may be the reason that they develop leadership qualities.

Better in sports

It is believed that lefties are better at sports than right-handed people, because they are better at processing information across the two sides of the brain. And because of faster reactions, they are good in sports, especially those that involve two opponents facing each other, such as tennis, boxing, etc.

Are more artistic

Left-handed people are better at divergent thinking. Perhaps because of this, lefties are drawn to careers in the arts, music, sports and information-technology.

Better at GPS

It is believed that left-handers have a knack for reading maps, remembering parking spaces and figuring out how to get from one place to another. So, if you lose your way, take help from your left-handed friends!

Better at video games

Research has shown that left-handed people outperform right-handers in processing a large amount of information at a fast rate, like shooting enemies, dodging zombies and avoiding GTA car collisions, and so are considered better at playing video games.

The struggles left-handed people face

Left-handed people are often at a disadvantage when it comes to using not just instruments and gadgets, but also items of every-day use. Here are some examples of their daily trials and tribulations:

School desk

Most school desks, especially the ones in which a writing board is attached to the chair, are designed for right-handed students. Imagine the plight of left-handed students who have to write with the left hand on a right-sided desk, with nothing to support the left elbow.

Scissors

Scissors are designed in a way that when a right-handed person holds one in his/her right hand, they are pushing the two blades towards the centre, which cuts the paper evenly. But when the same pair of scissors is in the left hand (of a leftie), the position of their thumb and fingers pushes the blades away from the centre, which is why lefties have problems in using scissors.

The elbow war

If a right-handed person is sharing a desk/table with a left-handed person, there is bound to be a problem. Of course, their elbows would constantly be crashing, competing for space. Lefties have to find a place at the end of the table so that their left arm faces outward.

While eating at a table with right-handed people, left-handed people find themselves elbowing the person sitting next to them. To avoid this, they have to tuck their left arm in so tight that they can’t use their utensils properly.

Spiral notebooks and binder folders

The rings of spiral notebooks can be a problem for left-handed users; similarly, it is impossible for left-handed people to lay their hands flat on the page on the binder folders and write normally. They are often seen placing the left hand between two rings when writing — between top two to write on the top half of the page and between the bottom two rings when writing on the bottom half.

Can openers

Old-style can openers are designed in a way to work well in the right hand. Lefties have to reach across the can and turn the crank at a really awkward angle.

Table manners!

Dinner tables are usually set to suit the right-handers. If you are a leftie you will have to remember where your drink is placed — on your right, not left, so you do not pick up someone else’s glass/bottle while busy in some discussion.

Playing instruments

Playing instruments, like guitar, are designed with right-handed users in mind, while left-handed users are supposed to devise ways to use them.

Keyboard number pads

The number pad on a computer keyboard is on the right and lefties have to reach across the keyboard to type in numbers. Thankfully now, keyboards with number pad on the left are also available.

Socialising with right-handers

Whether it is exchanging money, shaking hands, or whatever, while socialising, lefties are faced with a unique situation — the other person extends his right hand and they, out of habit/nature, extend their left hand.

Measuring cups

It’s a problem for left-handed bakers. While holding a glass measuring cup in their left hand, they are stuck with metric measurements in front of them. If they are not using metric measurements, they have a problem at hand. Though now left-handed version of the classic cups is available; so please check online, if you need one.

Famous left handers

Being left-handed has some disadvantages but it does not come in the way of success as you would see some of the world’s most accomplished people are lefties. Let’s check out some of the famous people who belong to the left-handers’ club.

Mother Teresa, Oprah Winfrey, Mahatma Gandhi, Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, Neil Armstrong, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Mozart, Helen Keller, Marie and Pierre Currie, Aristotle, Matt Groening (the Simpson’s creator), Paul McCartney, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Joan of Arc, Charlie Chaplin; several US presidents including Barack Obama, James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Harry S. Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronal Regan and George H. W. Bush; members of the British royal family including Queen Victoria, King George VI, the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George; and our very own Wasim Akram.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 27th, 2022