Most of the world is right-handed, and those who are, often find it hard to grasp the unique challenges faced by left-handed folks in a predominantly right-handed society. Over the years, researchers have delved into the biological and psychological aspects of being left-handed, exploring everything from its evolutionary benefits to societal perceptions.
Some folks believe that left-handed individuals are naturally more independent simply because they’ve had to adapt in a world crafted for right-handedness. Historically, this led to myths, including superstitions about left-handed people being involved in witchcraft due to associations with the devil.
Despite the hurdles such as using right-handed tools or struggling with scissors, there are plenty of intriguing facts about lefties that might surprise you. Let’s dive into some of these lesser-known facts that shine a light on the lives of left-handed individuals.
Interesting Tidbits About Left-Handed People
Left-handed individuals have some fascinating characteristics deserving of recognition. Here are some amazing facts about left-handers that you might not be aware of:
1. Represent About 12% of the Global Population
Across the globe, approximately 12% of people are left-handed, while a significant 87% are right-handed, and a rare 1% are ambidextrous. Interestingly, the number of left-handed people is gradually increasing as social acceptance grows.
In some countries, however, the pressure remains on children to conform to right-handedness. In the 1860s, for instance, left-handed individuals were practically stigmatized as being in league with the devil, leading to only a small fraction of about 2% being left-handed back then.
Today’s percentage can change depending on the country and even gender.
2. Celebrating with National Left-Handers Day
Observed on August 13th, National Left-Handers Day serves to raise awareness of the hurdles lefties encounter in a predominantly right-handed world. It was first introduced in 1992 in the UK by the Left-Handers Club.
3. Several Left-Handed U.S. Presidents
Many U.S. Presidents have been left-handed, including Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.
4. Perceived Higher Intelligence
Left-handed people have a varied brain organization, enabling them to process verbal information using both hemispheres. This dual processing capability allows them to handle larger data volumes, potentially resulting in higher intelligence levels compared to their right-handed peers.
5. Quicker Stroke Recovery
Language abilities are typically affected when a stroke impacts the brain’s left side. While 95% of right-handed individuals have their language abilities governed by the left hemisphere, only 70% of left-handers can say the same. This means more lefties regain language control post-stroke.
6. Prone to Allergies
A study highlighted in the book ‘Cerebral Dominance: The Biological Foundations’ discovered that left-handed individuals were 11 times more likely to have allergies than right-handed folks. They were also more likely to experience autoimmune disorders.
7. An Edge in Sports
In various sports such as fencing, boxing, tennis, baseball, and swimming, being left-handed offers some advantages. Right-handed athletes typically practice against others like themselves, which might catch them off-guard when facing a left-handed opponent.
8. Likely to Experience Migraines
The aforementioned study also noted that left-handed people have a greater propensity to experience migraines, roughly twice as likely as their right-handed counterparts.
9. Apt at Multi-Tasking
Research from the Illinois Research Consortium in 2008 found that when tasked to perform two tasks simultaneously, left-handers demonstrated superior multitasking abilities, favoring holistic problem-solving strategies.
10. More Artistic Flair
Left-handed individuals have dominant brain hemispheres adept in artistic awareness, creativity, and imagination, often showing a preference for visual information.
11. Sleep Challenges
Being left-handed can impact sleep quality, as shown by a study in 2011. Periodic limb movement disorder, where limbs move involuntarily during sleep, affected a higher percentage of left-handers compared to right-handers.
12. Brain Hemisphere Usage
Interestingly, since the brain is cross-wired, the right side of the brain controls the left side and vice versa. The saying, “only left-handed people are in their right minds,” endures because of the right hemisphere’s control over arts and creativity tasks.
However, newer studies suggest brain function and task distribution might be more evenly spread than we initially thought.
13. Fear of Left-Handedness
There exists a fear of all things left-sided, even encompassing left-handed people, known as Sinistrophobia.
14. Tongue Rolling Ability
Believe it or not, a study revealed some left-handed individuals struggling with tongue rolling, with only 62.8% accomplishing it compared to 74.8% of right-handers.
15. “Sinister” Legacy
Historically, left-handed individuals were seen negatively, sometimes associated with evil. The word “sinister” stems from the Latin “sinister,” meaning “left.”
16. Puberty Onset
Apparently, left-handed individuals tend to hit puberty a little later than their right-handed peers, though concrete studies verifying this claim are sparse.
17. A Debunked Myth About Lifespan
Previously, it was suggested left-handers lived shorter lives, but this was debunked when researchers noted flaws in earlier studies.
18. Income Potential Varies
The debate continues as one study suggested left-handed college graduates earn more, while another contradicted it, proposing they earn less. What’s clear is that completing your education is key.