NEW INFO

27/07/2017

Why lefties are better at math than right-handed

A study by the University of Liverpool said that lefties have a greater ability to solve complex mathematical operations as well as to associate advanced calculus functions over right-handed ones. What happens to the ambidextrous?

The dispute for the intelligence round in several aspects and human characteristics. One of the main urban myths to be analyzed is the hypothesis that lefties have more abilities than right-handers, for which hundreds of studies analyzed the development of the cerebral hemispheres in each of the parties involved.

Scientists say left-handed people have the right hemisphere of the brain (left hand control) more developed than the left. This area controls areas such as mathematics, language and reasoning as well as the left side of the body. It controls the tastes and capacity for the music, the art, the creativity, the opinion, the emotions and the genius of each person. "This domination of the brain makes the left-handers probably more creative and visual thinkers than the right-handers," said Martin Gardner in his book "Ambidextrous Universe I".

But the controversy did not leave quiet to the field of science who bet once more to demolish myths and beliefs. It is known that today's world is designed for right-handed people so the left-handers have to constantly appeal to their creativity to be able to adapt to daily tasks that can generate conflict. But what about his superior cognitive ability to math: Is a lefty child more likely to develop in this field more easily?

The study published in Frontiers asserted that lefties have a greater ability to solve complex mathematical operations and to associate calculus functions with a given data set, at least in adolescent males during the school stage. The field study was done with more than 2,300 students both primary and secondary. The experiments differ in respect to the type and difficulty of mathematical tasks.

For testing, the examination known as the Edinburgh Inventory was used on all subjects, it is based on questions related to which hand you prefer to write, brush your teeth, draw, among others. "This is a step more than a simple categorical evaluation of the left versus right.This type of examination allowed us to develop more reliable and powerful statistical models," said Fernand Gobet of the department of science in psychology at the University of Liverpool In his study.

But this new development not only once again confirmed the intellectual abilities of those who mostly use their left hand for various activities, it also provided controversial data on those who are undecided and who are generally able to rotate right-handed or left-handed use in different activities. These mostly obtained relatively poor performance compared to the rest.

"Mixed-handed children also performed relatively poorly, especially among women. This latter result gives some support to the idea that people engaged in mixed-media skills are at a disadvantage in math skills because of their Hemispheric indecision, "Gobet said.

It is estimated that between 10 and 13.5% of the population is left-handed. A group of this percentage assures that it is equally comfortable in the use of both hands which would not be totally beneficial as was believed to date. The adaptability of those who use his left hand, could have been the cause of genius in this discipline.