"Even though I'm left-handed (and supposedly right-brained), I tend to be very left-brained and analytical in my writing..." - Steve
Here's an interesting Washington Post article about left-handedness:
Leading With Their Left
"The brain and the body are cross-wired, so it's often assumed that all left-handers are 'right brain'-dominant. Yet neuroscience has revealed that the majority of lefties are left-hemisphere-dominant, just like righties. In neuroimaging studies, however, the brains of lefties tend to be more symmetrical, an indication that certain functions are less restricted to the left lobe. Motor skill is one such function; speech can be another."
The printed version of the article included a list of 10 tasks that researchers observe people performing in order to determine their true handedness:
- Writing
- Drawing
- Throwing
- Cutting with scissors
- Using a spoon
- Using a knife (without a fork)
- Using a broom (upper hand is dominant) or brushing one's hair
- Opening a box or a jar lid
- Brushing teeth
- Striking a match
Strong handedness is defined as using the same hand for all 10 activities.
Mixed handedness is defined as using the other hand for even 1 activity (other than scissors, which are often designed for right-handers).
The U.S. population breaks down like this:
Strongly left-handed: 2-3%
Mixed left-handed: 7-8%
Mixed right-handed: 35%
Strongly right-handed: 55%
I thought I was left-handed, but I only use my left hand for 6 of the 10 tasks!
Oh, and I ordered the book! Can't wait!