Is It True That Left-Handed People Are Smarter Than Right-Handed People?

Who/ What: Is It True That Left-Handed People Are Smarter Than Right-Handed People?
When: Study was conducted on Jan. 28, 2010 in Science Daily
Where: Study was conducted by Chris McManus, professor of psychology and medical education at University College London.
Why: To determine why left-handed people are more intelligent and creative than right-handed people.
How: Studies in the U.K., U.S. and Australia have revealed that left-handed people differ from right-handers by only one IQ point.

The studies suggest that 70–90% of the world population is right-handed, and 10% of the world population is left-handed. Right-handedness is most common. On average, right handed people live nine years longer than left handed people. A good number of technological devices today are made primarily for right handed individuals, such as refrigerators, scissors, microwaves, can openers, button down shirts, guitars, and even military rifles. In the past, many schools have forced children to write right handed.

Generally, males are three times more likely to be left handed than females. Throughout history being left-handed was considered as negative - the Latin word sinister meant "left". Hence, the many negative connotations associated with the word "left-handed": clumsy, awkward, unlucky, insincere, sinister, malicious, and so on. There have been, however, many famous left-handed people, and the associated right brain hemisphere that is said to be more active in left-handed people, has been found in some circumstances to be associated with genius and is correlated with artistic and visual skill.

I personally am right handed, and looking back on all the information that I have found regarding this particular subject, some of the information applies, some does not. However, a friend of mine is left handed and she is very creative like very good in drawing and in other creative ways but also I have a friend of mine, a right handed which is also has a talent in drawing and other creative things.

But one thing that I believe that we all have to remember is that everyone is different and nothing can be solely based on which hand we prominently use. Since everyone is different and there may not be as many left handed people out there as right handed people, I believe that we have to all come to some realization that they exist and make the technological devices that are out there a little more compatible and suitable for those who are left handed. And in closing, when raising your child, as a parent you have a very domineering role in their lives, but always remember that letting them choose which hand they are comfortable with in using gives them individuality as well as gives them an easier time in growing and learning.