Boxing

Research published recently concluded that left-handed people were overrepresented in a database of 10,000 boxers and martial arts fighters and had a higher win percentage. This confirms the “fighter hypothesis”: that despite the costs of being left-handed the trait has survived because of a competitive advantage in combat.

Remembering

Left-handed people may also be better at remembering events, according to research from the University of Toledo, Ohio. The explanation is that the two brain hemispheres of left-handers are more strongly connected. This result also applied to people with left-handed relatives.

Maths

Handedness is also a factor in mathematical ability. A study of 2,300 Italian students by three European universities found that for simple arithmetic there was little difference between right- and left-handed performance but for difficult problem-solving left-handers won out.

Thinking

Left-handed people may also think differently. A 2009 Stanford University study found that when shown columns of abstract illustrations, participants were more likely to prefer the images in the column of their handedness. “Left-handed people think good stuff is on the left and bad stuff is on the right,” the study’s lead author said. This may even influence how we perceive political debates, he speculated.

Interactive sports

Previous studies have found that left-handers are over-represented in professional, interactive sports and a 2017 study found that interactive sports that require the fastest reaction times confer the biggest advantage. In short, if you have a left-handed child you should encourage them to play table tennis, baseball and cricket to maximise their chances of sporting success.