Left-Handedness: A Look at History and the Brain PDF

# What do Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Have in Common? They were all left-handed! * Beginning early in history, left-handed students were feared, neglected, and punished because the use of the left hand was considered evil. * Due to this prejudice against the left, le...

# What do Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Have in Common? They were all left-handed! * Beginning early in history, left-handed students were feared, neglected, and punished because the use of the left hand was considered evil. * Due to this prejudice against the left, left-handed children were forced to switch hands. * This change caused many problems for lefties in school, which resulted in frustration, bad behavior, and high drop-out rates. * Maybe that is why lefties were stereotyped as unintelligent, an idea that could not be further from the truth. ## The Brain's Connection to Left-Handedness Researchers studying the brain have found differences in the left side and right side of the brain. * Researchers believe that people who use more of the left side of their brain tend to be more intelligent. * They also tend to use language better and solve problems faster. * However, one study also showed that left-brain people tend to have worse memories. ## Which Side of the Brain Do Lefties Use? * Actually, both. * Right-handed people use the left side of the brain more, whereas left-handed people use both sides of the brain almost equally. * The part connecting the two halves of the brain is usually larger in left-handed people. * Therefore, information can pass more efficiently from one side of the brain to the other. * The left hemisphere of the brain controls speech, language, writing, logic, mathematics, and science. * The right hemisphere controls music, art, creativity, perception, and emotion. # Lefties in the World * Approximately ten percent of the world is left-handed, and the ratio of left-handed males to left-handed females is two to one. * Thankfully, parents and teachers no longer treat left-handedness as a problem to be cured. * It may actually contribute to a child's excellence! * If allowed to learn and develop in their own way, lefties will excel in school. * Perhaps one of them might turn out to be the next Einstein or da Vinci.