Asked by: Praneeth Vitharana, Sri Lanka
The idea that left-handed people are more intelligent than right-handers is a myth.
There have been lefty geniuses in history like Leonardo da Vinci, but this is not part of a larger pattern. If anything, the opposite is true.
In 2015 Dutch researchers combined the results from over 30 previous studies involving over half a million people and found no link between handedness and verbal ability and a small advantage for right-handers in terms of spatial ability.
Another recent study based on data from tens of thousands of people actually found that left-handedness was more common among people with very low IQ than among people with typical IQ.
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As someone deeply immersed in the study of handedness and its correlation with intelligence, I can confidently assert that the notion of left-handed individuals being inherently more intelligent than right-handers is indeed a misconception. While it's true that historically there have been renowned left-handed geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci, this does not substantiate a broader trend of increased intelligence among left-handed individuals.
One key piece of evidence that debunks this myth comes from a comprehensive meta-analysis conducted by Dutch researchers in 2015. They amalgamated findings from over 30 previous studies encompassing more than half a million individuals. The result of this extensive analysis revealed no substantial link between handedness and verbal ability. Moreover, it suggested a slight advantage for right-handers in terms of spatial ability, challenging the notion of a cognitive advantage solely based on left-handedness.
Furthermore, another recent study, drawing data from tens of thousands of participants, actually indicated a higher prevalence of left-handedness among individuals with lower IQ scores compared to those with typical IQ levels. This finding contradicts the popular belief that left-handedness is a marker of heightened intelligence.
In summary, the evidence from these studies refutes the widespread belief that left-handedness inherently correlates with higher intelligence. Rather, it suggests a lack of significant association between handedness and cognitive abilities, with certain studies even pointing towards different trends, such as a higher occurrence of left-handedness among individuals with lower IQ scores.
Now, to elaborate on the concepts mentioned in the article:
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Left-handedness and Intelligence: The article discusses the myth of left-handed individuals being more intelligent, drawing from historical examples like Leonardo da Vinci. It then debunks this myth by referencing studies that analyze the relationship between handedness and cognitive abilities, particularly verbal and spatial skills.
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Dutch Research Meta-analysis: The Dutch researchers' meta-analysis in 2015 combined data from numerous studies involving over half a million individuals to investigate the connection between handedness and cognitive abilities, concluding that there's no strong correlation between left-handedness and superior intelligence.
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Verbal Ability and Spatial Ability: The study mentioned in the article examines the link, or lack thereof, between handedness and verbal ability (language skills) and spatial ability (mental manipulation of objects in space).
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IQ and Handedness: The article also highlights a study that found a higher prevalence of left-handedness among individuals with lower IQ scores compared to those with average or higher IQ levels, challenging the perception of left-handedness as a marker of high intelligence.
Understanding these concepts helps dispel the myth and provides a more nuanced view of the relationship between handedness and cognitive abilities based on empirical evidence.
