How is Handedness Determined?
We do know that handedness is determined by a greater dominance of one side of the brain over the other. The brain is divided into two halves, the right and left hemispheres. The body is “cross-wired” so the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, whilst the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body. Although they look the same, each hemisphere carries out different functions. Researchers have concluded that language and analytical thought processes are carried out by the left, whilst spatial awareness, musical and emotional thought are contained within the right. Messages are passed between them by millions of nerve fibres, (the Corpus Callosum.) Because they are inter-connected, it is an over-simplification to presume that all right-handers are better at analytical thinking, or that all left-handers are more creative and musical. Their thought processes and problem solving techniques may however differ depending on which skills are more dominant in their
