Why Is Right-Handedness More Common Than Left-Handedness?

[Pego]

There is no doubt that my brain considers me lefthanded.

You have about 50% chance that your speech center is on the right. But yes, people, who have been forced to write with the right hand at an early age are an exception to the rule.

[lonewolf]

[ use starting blocks as a lefty, etc. .

Does that mean you have left foot forward in the blocks?
I write right handed , bat right, jump off right foot, lead left leg on hurdles but it is does not feel right to have my right foot forward in blocks, which presumably would be the more powerful drive leg..

[cullman]

The Right Brain vs Left Brain Test

cman

[rasb]

The Right Brain vs Left Brain Test

cman

She is moving ???
Cman, don't do this to us...

[Marlow]

She is moving ??? Cman, don't do this to us...

I'm with you. I was a little too fixated on her . . . physique . . . to notice whether she was moving. :twisted:

[lonewolf]

Initially she is spinning clockwise pivoting on her left foot. If you watch long enough, she will change to counter-clock wise and pivot on her right foot.
About every fourth switch, she will swing back and forth facing forward,
alternating feet for three or four swings before returning to one way or the other.
Thats what I saw. Either both or neither side of my brain is functioning.

[proofs in the pudd'in]

Ok I write with my right hand but I kick with my left - what's up with that?

Am I a conflicted person :wink:

[proofs in the pudd'in]

Thats what I saw. Either both or neither side of my brain is functioning.

I am with you on that except the clockwise was more dominant.

[proofs in the pudd'in]

She is moving ??? Cman, don't do this to us...

I'm with you. I was a little too fixated on her . . . physique . . . to notice whether she was moving. :twisted:

She even had nipples - what side of my brain is that responsible for :P

[proofs in the pudd'in]

Ok whats up - the dancing lady says I am right brained but this http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0 ... 24,00.html says I am left brain???

[Halfmiler2]

[ use starting blocks as a lefty, etc. .

Does that mean you have left foot forward in the blocks?
I write right handed , bat right, jump off right foot, lead left leg on hurdles but it is does not feel right to have my right foot forward in blocks, which presumably would be the more powerful drive leg..

Nope. I always assumed that your "kicking" foot or power foot should be in the back to push you forward out of the blocks. That always felt move comfortable to me - and was the opposite of most of my teammates.

[Halfmiler2]

But what does that have to do with which hand you write with? I ask because based on your statements it doesn't sound like hemisphere dominance dictates it. Why is handwriting a factor and strength isnt?

Let me try to explain a rather complicated neuroanatomy briefly.
What we commonly refer to as "speech" is, in fact, language. Writing (any, handwriting, typing) is part of the language function just as the speech or reading. Listening and reading is language comprehension, speeking and writing is the expressive language. The primary center for this is the gyrus of Heschl in temporal lobe, which is located about 95% of the time in the left hemisphere. The way the motor system is constructed, the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and vice versa. So, you write with the right hand, you have the left hemisphere as dominant. Left hand and it is 50-50. "Ambidextrous", you really cannot be sure, but I am betting on the left.
As far as the strength is concerned, you use your dominant arm a lot more, so it gets bigger by greater use. Tennis players are a classic example.

ALL? Really? I know some pretty flaky right-handed artsy types, who MUST be right-brained!!!

A common reference of "right-brained" does not refer to cerebral dominance. It is a completely different concept. A fascinating reading would be Roger Sperry's work on split brains.

Any studies on whether women or men are more likely to be left or right brain, or left or right handed?

[Pego]

Cerebral dominance is the same between the sexes. There are two major gender differences in anatomy/physiology. Planum temporale (language centers) are generally bigger in the male, while the evoked potentials (speed of information processing) are faster in the female.

I cannot comment on the concept of who is "right/left brained", as that is a fairly poorly defined psychological rather than neurologic concept. As I said before, whoever is seriously interested in right/left brain function, studies with "split brains", originally spearheaded by Roger Sperry at Cal Tech are truly fascinating.

[Pego]

Bump.

There is a superb write-up on cerebral dominance, right/left preponderance, evolution of these functions in the July issue of Scientific American.