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Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

ox.ac.uk

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Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#201

Post by acetofenone »

As far as I understand, the imbalance of the two hands is due to the collaborative nature of a species (if I teach you something is easyer if we use the same hand). There are advantages of using the other hand as dominant, in fact in competitive environment like ping pong we see a 50-50 split between left and right hands. This is because the left hand has the advantage of being rare and so the majority is not trained to compete against the minority, while left hand people mostly compete against right handed. If two lefties face each other they are equally disadvantaged, that's why in the end a 50 left 50 right distribution emerges.

Also fun fact, kangaroos have this same 90-10 split: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/150618-ka...

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#202

Post by yzydserd »

Tor3 wrote: post #185
Kaijo wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To drain pasta or noodles quickly, I put it in a colander, hold it above my kitchen sink, and swirl it around in quick circles. I realized about a month ago my circles are always counterclockwise, and very efficient, but that I can't keep a clockwise spin going for more than a few cycles before messing up. Since then I keep trying to spin my pasta clockwise (such are the small excitements and adventures of my wfh lif…

You're right-handed, right? It is more natural to move your hand in counter-clockwise circles than the opposite. People who have never swirled pasta or anything like that will feel the same if you ask them to make swirling motions with their hands. Inwards is easier - clockwise with your left hand, counterclockwise with your right hand.

A literature search didn't turn much evidence of this at all, let alone conclusive evidence. Any sources? I swirl right hand clockwise. I also draw circles clockwise. One article said circle drawing direction was likely cultural or linked to handwriting systems, not which was more "natural".

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#203

Post by prox »

acetofenone wrote: post #201

As far as I understand, the imbalance of the two hands is due to the collaborative nature of a species (if I teach you something is easyer if we use the same hand). There are advantages of using the other hand as dominant, in fact in competitive environment like ping pong we see a 50-50 split between left and right hands. This is because the left hand has the advantage of being rare and so the majority is not trained…

Ah fun fact, why do we use the word “right” and “left” but also use the word “right” as correct/lawful and use left as thing that is well, left? A linguist theory says that people always been predominantly right handed, so the way you use tools is the “right” (correct) hand, and the one you don’t, well it’s the hand that is “left”. It’s how the word also became the word for directions as well.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#205

Post by vidarh »

kranner wrote: post #176
Danox wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Left-handed individuals living in a predominantly right-handed world possess the capacity to adapt and utilize their right hand effectively. While most right-handed individuals do not exhibit this ability unless they experience an extraordinary event, such as an injury to their right hand, left-handed individuals are compelled to learn how to use their right hand in a right-handed world. As a left-handed individual w…

> While most right-handed individuals do not exhibit this ability unless they experience an extraordinary event, such as an injury to their right hand, left-handed individuals are compelled to learn how to use their right hand in a right-handed world. As a person with severe hemophilia in the third world, where the condition is very under-treated (no prophylaxis, very little clotting factor and sometimes none), I've…

I'm left handed but so used to switching I'll e.g. often get partway through a meal before suddenly realising I have the cutlery in the "wrong" hand. Except for writing - writing with my right hand is pretty much write only...

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#206

Post by inejge »

prox wrote: post #203
acetofenone wrote: post #201

As far as I understand, the imbalance of the two hands is due to the collaborative nature of a species (if I teach you something is easyer if we use the same hand). There are advantages of using the other hand as dominant, in fact in competitive environment like ping pong we see a 50-50 split between left and right hands. This is because the left hand has the advantage of being rare and so the majority is not trained…

Ah fun fact, why do we use the word “right” and “left” but also use the word “right” as correct/lawful and use left as thing that is well, left? A linguist theory says that people always been predominantly right handed, so the way you use tools is the “right” (correct) hand, and the one you don’t, well it’s the hand that is “left”. It’s how the word also became the word for directions as well.

> Ah fun fact, why do we use the word “right” and “left” but also use the word “right” as correct/lawful and use left as thing that is well, left? A linguist theory says that people always been predominantly right handed, so the way you use tools is the “right” (correct) hand, and the one you don’t, well it’s the hand that is “left”.

It's a bit more varied, even in the Indo-European family. What does tend to happen is that the words for handedness get positive (right) or negative (left) associations in idioms, but additional meanings are not universal. In French, "droit" additionally means right (as human right), but not "correct" (yes it does have a bunch of adjacent meanings). In German, "recht" gets to mean "law" or "justice", shared by some Slavic languages ("pravo") -- but not all of them, which have the word "desno", without any association with rights/justice/correctness. The Latin "dexter" gave us "dexterity" and "dexterous", but also nothing alluding to justice. Et cetera.

As an aside, "left" originating from "left over" sounds like folk ethymology to me. Dictionaries point to "weak" as the original meaning.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#207

Post by wvh »

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

I've been playing guitar since I was a little kid. I wonder how learning "two-handed" skills such as playing music impacts how "handy" or "polydextrous" one is.

There are left-handed guitar players that play right-handed, such as Nick Johnston, who claim the gaps in their technique or preference for certain left-hand-only techniques are informed by being left-handed; so it seems that a life-long of an insane amount of practice does not necessary change how comfortable one is using either hand for a given task.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#208

Post by hexasquid »

prox wrote: post #203
acetofenone wrote: post #201

As far as I understand, the imbalance of the two hands is due to the collaborative nature of a species (if I teach you something is easyer if we use the same hand). There are advantages of using the other hand as dominant, in fact in competitive environment like ping pong we see a 50-50 split between left and right hands. This is because the left hand has the advantage of being rare and so the majority is not trained…

Ah fun fact, why do we use the word “right” and “left” but also use the word “right” as correct/lawful and use left as thing that is well, left? A linguist theory says that people always been predominantly right handed, so the way you use tools is the “right” (correct) hand, and the one you don’t, well it’s the hand that is “left”. It’s how the word also became the word for directions as well.

Sinister Dexter Adroit Gauche Left handed compliment Right hand man

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#209

Post by tmtvl »

kelipso wrote: post #156
Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

Something super simple and revealing is try pressing on the brakes with your left foot.

IMO heel-and-toe is harder than left foot braking.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#210

Post by tmtvl »

_carbyau_ wrote: post #142
emil-lp wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does "face left" mean? Left foot front? That's regular.

Missing is the assumption that "direction of travel" is forwards.

If I were to skateboard, I would face port. When I'm coming to a halt on a bicycle I prefer keeping my right foot on the pedal and landing on my left foot, so I believe I'd have the same preference when skateboarding.
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