Life is a little harder for left-handed people – CBS News poll

U.S.

By Fred Backus

February 4, 2022 / 1:58 PM
/ CBS News

Is life much harder for lefties? Few people think so, but a significant portion of the population — about four in 10 — do think that life is a little harder for them. Most, however, don’t think being left-handed makes much of a difference these days.

According to some experts, just a little over 10% of people around the world are left-handed (our poll found a similar percentage), but there isn’t a whole lot of difference between left-handed vs. right-handed people as regards the relative advantages or disadvantages of being a “Southpaw. ”  Lefties are a little more likely to say life is much harder for them, but some — about one in 10 — actually think life is easier as a left-handed person.

Why is life harder for left-handed people? When asked to choose from a list of options, those who think life is harder overwhelmingly said that too many products and items are designed with right-handed people in mind: nearly nine in 10 say so. 

Prejudices from the past don’t seem to carry nearly as much much weight: few people pick looking down at left-handed people (5%) or that it’s just better to be the same as most people (3%). Though some studies over recent years have suggested that lefties may be more prone to certain health issues or that they earn less money, almost no one picked left-handers either having more health problems (2%) or being less successful (2%) than right-handed people.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1,980 U.S. adult residents interviewed between January 27-31, 2022. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as to 2020 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±2.4 points.

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First published on February 4, 2022 / 1:58 PM

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Things You Never Knew About Left-Handed People

Only 10 percent of the population is left-handed.

While there may not be many of them, being left-handed sure does come with some surprising perks!

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Being a lefty may help you succeed in leadership roles

“When I was at Columbia Law School, which is one of the most elite schools in the country, we noticed that a large proportion of the class was left-handed,” says Robert S. Herbst a left-handed attorney, wellness expert, motivational speaker, and powerlifter. “This made sense as left-handed people are right brained meaning they are more creative, analytical, verbal, and have better language skills, all of which are traits necessary to being a good lawyer.” Herbst was also an Eagle Scout: “I have met a number of left-handed Eagle Scouts, including Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire and former New York City mayor. Perhaps being right brained and left-handed also gave us the leadership ability, discipline, and ambition to excel even at an early age. ” It could very well be that being a lefty helps you succeed and these 25 famous left-handed people are proof of that.

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Lefties often learn to be ambidextrous

“Over the years I have found myself learning to be ambidextrous simply because I had to,” says Ernestine Sclafani, a public relations specialist in Los Angeles. “The world is geared towards being right-handed: buttons on jackets, jeans, doorways, desks in school.” Certain activities also were made easier by switching the hands. “Learning to play golf was much easier being a right-handed person than left,” she says. Today, there’s more awareness of lefties and more products and activities that accommodate them. But being ambidextrous is certainly a good skill to have. Here is why lefties were retrained to use their right hand.

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Left-handedness lets you stand out

“I remember back in high school a friend had told me that being a lefty was going to be made into a handicap,” says Danielle Becker, a mixed media artist and the founder of Leftys Right Mind. “Besides being the only one in class with the side of their hand completely covered in pencil, I never felt being a lefty inhibited me from excelling in my work, let alone hold me back in life. In fact, I believe it sets me apart from the rest. I cherish the fact that I am a lefty. My left hand has guided me over the years to find my passion and to be able to live my dream as a professional designer.” She credits her creativity—her work as an artist—to being a lefty. “I thrive in the creative world. My wide array of talents across multiple platforms is rooted in (lefty) hands-on art making and a commitment to unbound creativity.” Look out for these 10 hidden dangers of being left-handed.

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It’s a great conversation starter

“I’m a lefty and find that, strangely, people often notice,” says Ingrid Hansen, a publicist at Launch Media. “It’s a great conversation starter when they do. ” Also, she finds that many lefties are introverted, which actually led her to her career. “As an introvert, I’ve created a successful company that coaches other introverts, including lefties, on speaking to the media.”

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While it’s not always easy, the challenges can make you stronger

“While I cherish my creativity, I do find it difficult to live in a right-handed world,” says Kim Murphy, a left-handed author in Batesville, Virginia. “For instance, when I go to the library for research, there are rarely any computers set up for lefties. Garden equipment, such as weed whackers, can be downright dangerous for me to use. Still, I love being different.” Having to overcome obstacles, and always challenging yourself, ultimately makes you a stronger person. She, too, credits her left-handedness to her creative spirit. “Because I’m an author, I have met many authors and artists over the years and a higher percentage of the artists I have met are left-handed. ”

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Lefties aren’t necessarily more likely to think outside the box

According to the American Psychological Association, 10 percent of the population is left-handed. One study in the Journal of Mental and Nervous Disease musicians, painters and writers were significantly more likely to be left-handed. However, a conflicting study of more than 1,000 people debunked the myth that “right-brained” people are more creative than “left-brained” people. It found that no one has a dominant side of the brain and both sides are involved in creativity. Don’t miss these other myths about lefties that we all need to stop believing.

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You are in good company with these left-handed presidents

There have been eight presidents who have been lefties, including James A. Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Harry S Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

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You’re likely to find lefties in your extended family tree

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, multiple factors including genetics, environment, and chance determine whether a person is left-handed. It was initially thought that a single gene controlled handedness, however recent studies suggest that multiple genes, perhaps up to 40, contribute to this trait. Each of these genes likely has a weak effect by itself, but together they play a significant role in establishing hand preference. However, because the overall chance of being left-handed is relatively low, most children of left-handed parents are right-handed (even though there’s a greater chance that left-handed parents have left-handed kids). If you look far enough in your family tree, you may be surprised to find a number of lefties there.

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You have a decreased risk for some health concerns

In a study published in Laterality, it was found that left-handed people have a lower prevalence of arthritis and ulcers. It probably doesn’t have to do with your handedness, though. Researchers believe it’s related to the underlying DNA that creates left-handedness––the genes that are associated with lefties. So if you’re ever teased for being a lefty, remind yourself that they have a higher chance of developing those painful conditions.

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You’re a better GPS

Do you or your left-handed friends have a knack for reading maps, remembering parking spaces, and figuring out how to get from Point A to Point B? According to a classic study, researchers observed that left-handed people showed a lower rate of error in a spatial orientation test than righties. Spatial skills will always be important (yes, even in the age of the GPS)––you never know when you and your right-handed counterparts will get lost in the woods and you’ll be able to save the day.

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You bounce back more quickly from injuries

If you suffer from a stroke or other brain-related injuries, research shows that left-handed people recover faster. While we hope nobody has to go through anything as traumatic as a brain injury, it’s nice to know that you could potentially have an easier time recovering. The reasoning? The cognitive functions are spread out in the brains of lefties, which means that in theory, when you have a stroke (which is typically concentrated to a small area of the brain), less of your cognitive functioning will be affected.

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Lefties are more competitive

Everything is a competition nowadays, so being competitive will get you far. In a study done at Northwestern, it was found that lefties are more competitive than cooperative. Take this example from the study: “Cooperation favors same-handedness—for sharing the same tools, for example. Physical competition, on the other hand, favors the unusual. In a fight, a left-hander in a right-handed world would have an advantage.” So, being a leftie could give you a leg up on physical competitions like certain sports, but the jury’s still out on mental competitions.

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Lefties are better at video games

Before you ask: No, it doesn’t have to do with the competition thing. Research from Australia National University showed that left-handed people outperform right-handers in processing a large amount of information at a fast rate…like shooting enemies, dodging zombies, and avoiding GTA car collisions. These findings can be extended past the computer screen, too. Like, you’re probably better at absorbing the list of things your mother told you to do during your last phone call than your righty counterparts. (We’re joking, of course, but this skill is certainly a valuable asset.) Check out these 12 traits you thought were inherited—but aren’t.

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You may have better self-control

As it turns out, left-handers are shown to have better self-control than right-handers. They don’t have any trouble passing up those brownies or refraining from lashing out at a coworker, two things that can be very difficult sometimes. A study in JECN found that lefties have better “inhibitory control,” which regulates the way we control ourselves, than righties. That will come in handy! (Pun intended)

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Your right-handed family members are more similar to you than you think

“While people tend to draw a line in the sand between lefties and righties, research is starting to suggest that it’s not quite that simple,” says Jason Eckerman, PhD, a licensed psychologist and lefty. He notes that one study found that righties that had left-handed blood relatives showed similar brain scans to lefties when presented with a language task, whereas righties without left-handed relatives responded pretty differently. What does this mean? “If you’re the only lefty in your family, you can feel comforted by the fact that your right-handed family members probably understand you better than you think.” Next, find out what your handwriting says about you.

Originally Published: November 07, 2019

Judy Koutsky

Judy Koutsky is a New York-based writer and editor covering health, lifestyle and travel. Her award-winning articles have appeared in over 30 publications including RD.com, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Oprah.com, Parents, Forbes.com, Shape, USA Today, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, Web MD and Scholastic. You can see her writing at JudyKoutsky.com or follow her on Instagram at @JudyKoutsky

Why are there so many lefties in American films? — www.ellegirl.ru

Trending

Have you ever noticed that many characters in American movies and TV shows are left-handed? They write, draw, and even hold weapons with their left hand. Although, according to statistics, there are only about 10% of left-handed people on the planet. How does it happen?

One of the Reddit users explained everything very simply: it all depends on how the cameras are positioned when shooting. Usually they are on the right side of the actor, so the resulting image is mirrored, and often it is not turned upside down during editing.

But there is another popular version that helps to understand why there are so many left-handers in American films and TV shows, and almost none in Russians. The fact is that for many, many years in the USSR and in Russia, all left-handers were necessarily retrained. It was believed that the children did not know what they were doing, and simply mixed up their hands.

That is why left-handed people are so rare in modern Russian cinema – we have very few of them. Instead of left-handers, we have a lot of “retrained left-handers.” Valery Meladze (you must have heard a couple of his hits), for example, one of them. He said that at school he was literally forced to write with his right hand.

“As a result, I hated everything that is connected with writing, having learned to write with my right hand, but never began to write beautifully. ”

In the USA, things were easier with this, children were not forced to write exclusively with their right hand, so they also had more left-handers. But in the yard of 2018, now our children are also calmly allowed to write with either their right or left hand, so in 10 years there will definitely be more left-handers in Russian cinema.

By the way, lefties have a lot of advantages. We talk about scientifically proven and the coolest:

1. Creativity

You have probably heard more than once that left-handed people are considered more creative guys. According to research, this is true. This is because they have a better developed right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for imaginative thinking. For the same reason, left-handers are doing great with imagination and intuition.

2. Health

Studies have shown that left-handers recover faster after a heart attack. The reason is not fully understood, but some believe that this is due to the fact that left-handed people often have better development of both hemispheres of the brain. After all, in a right-handed world, they often have to use their “non-working” hand.

3. Divergent thinking

A study published in the American Journal of Psychology showed that left-handed people have divergent thinking. This is one of the methods of creative thinking, which is used to solve problems and problems. Yes, almost like Beatrice from Divergent. This feature also helps left-handed people to better cope with multitasking, that is, doing several things at the same time.

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4. Sports

Yes, left-handers do have advantages in certain sports, such as tennis, baseball and boxing. This also applies to regular fights: right-handers rarely expect a left hook, so it’s harder for them to predict an opponent’s punch. Especially if they don’t know the attacker is left-handed. Recall, however, that it is better to solve the problems that have arisen not with fists, but with conversations. Stay out of trouble!

5. Driving

Statistics show that 57% of left-handed people pass their driving license the first time, but among right-handed people only 47% of such lucky ones. But the results of another study are not at all reassuring: left-handed drivers are much more likely than right-handed drivers to receive speeding tickets and get into an accident more often. In any case, be careful and always monitor the situation on the roads.

6. Time

Lefties spend far less time standing in line. How is this possible? Easily! Research shows that our more developed hemisphere quietly chooses for us which line to stand in. Remember, in the first paragraph, we talked about imaginative thinking and intuition? That’s it. Lefties are lucky here.

And finally, catch a census of famous lefties. Tell me, good company? 🙂

15 Russian and Western celebrities who write with their left hand

1. Justin Bieber

2. Niall Horan

3. Angelina Jolie

4. Joo Leah Roberts

5. Lady Gaga

6. Prince William

7. Mary-Kate Olsen

8. Jim Carrey

9. Nicole Kidman

10. Barack Obama 9005 9

11. Mila Jovovich

12. Sarah Jessica Parker

13. Scareltt Johanson

14. Ksenia Sobchak

15. Elka

Margarita Mi tire

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FAQ: Why do all Americans write with their left hand? Why are all Americans left-handed?

Scroll down for English

Something I am verbose in the first days of my blog. It must be hard for readers to read so much. I will be short sometimes. Like a shot. And I set the bar very high for myself. I can’t keep pace. It just seems like I’m finally breaking out of my creative block and I don’t want to stop. That’s how writers are. Either empty or dense.

Yesterday I went to the regional center (40 km from here) for groceries. In the hardware store, I began to add something to my list (which, by some miracle, I had not yet managed to lose as usual), and the owner of the store asked: “Why do you all write with your left hand? Probably because you live in another hemisphere?

I began to think about it. By the way, not for the first time. I get asked here all the time. From the point of view of the hemisphere, I have not yet thought. Maybe an option? As in Australia, for example, when water descends into the sink drain, and the jet spins in the opposite direction (I myself watched with amazement). Only this is not quite an analogue – there is water is always spinning in reverse. But the majority of Americans (and the population of the world, if so) are RIGHT-HANDED!

It is said (or “written”, as my mother-in-law always says and often believes that it is “written”) that left-handers are more creative people, because they rely on the right hemisphere of the brain. I don’t know, in my opinion, there are quite a lot of creative people of the left hemisphere orientation. Others say it is because we Americans are not re-educated as children. Yes it’s true. But this does not explain why, if the majority of the world’s people are right-handed (even in America), there is a disproportionate number of foreigners in Russia who are dominated by the left hand.

I have a different theory. Left-handers are people who have a certain tendency to go crazy. That is, abnormal. And they are proud of it. Therefore, most Americans who come to Russia and – after all that they have seen and experienced here – still decide to stay – are crazy. Deviation from the norm.

You better take pity on us. You can’t imagine how hard it is to do simple household trifles. The whole world is arranged for you . About us extremely rarely think. We account for adapt. For example, try walking around for a day imagining that you are left-handed. Already in the morning: the toilet handle is on the wrong side. In the metro, they sewed up: they immediately got confused on which side to attach the ticket. I always hold it with my left hand, and a couple of times I went into the wrong gate and – BAM! – these black things hit me on the knees. In the office: try using your left hand to cut paper with scissors or press mouse buttons. Even when we write, we have to somehow twist our hand so as not to smudge the words we just scrawled (oh, how great it must be to be an Arab!). All the buttons on the equipment—copier, TV, microwave—where? On the right side. And this is just the beginning … Therefore, they retrained everyone before (and in America too) – in order to SAVE on us, so as not to do two models total. (Maybe that’s why I had to leave civilization and live in the forest?)

Once in America I found a whole store for left-handed people ( and why not left-handers, by the way? ). Wow! Notebooks with a spiral on the right side. Scissors that cut with another blade. Mice with the right buttons. Kitchen appliances for us. I squealed with happiness – so many cool things! But I was a student then, there was no money for such luxury. As a result, I bought one notebook, which is still lying somewhere – I was so sorry to get it dirty.

Wow. There was no short story. I didn’t think there was so much to write about it. Apparently, the question touched me, as a defender of lefties ( lefties ).

Further, same in English

FAQ: Why are all Americans left-handed?

The first few days of my blog I’ve been rather wordy. Perhaps it is too much for the reader. I will be brief at times. Like a gunshot. Otherwise I am setting the bar too high for myself, and I won’t be able to keep up the pace. It just seems that I have finally broken out of my writer’s block, and I don’t want to stop. That’s how it is with writers: if it is not a drought, it’s a flood.

Yesterday I went to town to get supplies (about 40 km from here). In the hardware store, I started to add a couple of things to my shopping list (which, by some miracle, I still hadn’t lost, as usual), and the storeowner asked me: “Why are all Americans left-handed? Maybe because you live in the other hemisphere?”

I got to thinking about it. Not for the first time. People are constantly asking me that question in Russia. But I hadn’t thought about it from the hemisphere perspective. Perhaps it’s possible? Like in Australia, for example, when the water goes the opposite direction down the drain (I’ve observed it and been amazed). Except that is not exactly an accurate analogy – the water always goes down the other way there, whereas the majority of Americans (and the world population, for that matter) is RIGHT-HANDED!

Some say that lefties are more creative people, because they tap into their right brain. I don’t know, I think there are plenty of left-brain-oriented people out there. Others say it is because American lefties aren’t retrained to use their right hand in childhood. This is true. It doesn’t explain, however, why, if the majority of the people in the world are right-handed (even in America), a disproportionally large number of foreigners in Russia use the left hand as their dominant one.

I have a different theory. Lefties are people with a certain tendency to be out in “left field,” in other words – a bit loony (and proud of it). Therefore, the majority of Americans who come to Russia and – after having seen and been through all that Russia can throw at them – still decide to stay are simply nuts. A deviation from the norm.

You should pity us instead. You can’t imagine how difficult it is to do simple every day things. The whole world is designed for you . It is rare that anyone thinks about us . We have to adapt . For example, try to go a whole day pretending you are left-handed. First thing in the morning: the handle to flush the toilet is on the wrong side. You walk into the metro: you are immediately confused as to which side of the turnstile you should scan you ticket on. I always hold it in my left hand, and a few times I have walked through the wrong gate and – BAM! – those black things shoot out and bang my knees. In the office: try to use your left hand to cut paper with scissors, or click the mouse. Even when we write, we have to contort our hand into such a position so as not to smear the words we just wrote down (how wonderful it must be to be Arabic!). All the buttons on equipment – ​​copy machines, TVs, microwaves – are where? On the right. And that is just the beginning. That is why they used to retrain everyone (in the US as well) – in order to ECONOMIZE on us and not have to make two models of everything. (Maybe that is why I had to leave civilization to live in the forest?)

Once in the US, I found a whole store for lefties.