By SIMON COLLINS science reporter
Psychologists have found that "mixed-handed" people are more superstitious - and possibly also more creative and lateral-thinking - than people who are either right- or left-handed.
Mixed-handed people, who may, for example, write with their left hand but kick with their right foot, have a higher risk
of speech and writing difficulties and schizophrenia.
They are over-represented in special needs classes such as one at Auckland's Sunnydene School where three out of the six students yesterday were left-handed.
But they may also become geniuses. Auckland University Professor Mike Corballis says there is evidence that Albert Einstein was mixed-handed.
"There is an asymmetry in most brains in the language area," he said. "But when they examined Einstein's brain after he died, [it was] unusually symmetrical."
Dr Corballis and graduate student Kylie Barnett tested the effect of mixed-handedness by putting 30 statements to 250 psychology students, of whom 87 per cent were right-handed, 8 per cent left-handed and 5 per cent mixed.
The statements included common superstitions such as, "Horoscopes are right too often for it to be a coincidence." Other statements were more "rational" such as, "Good-luck charms don't work."
On average the mixed-handers answered 12 of the 30 questions in a way which showed they were superstitious.
In contrast, left-handers gave only nine superstitious answers, and right-handers' scores ranged from 10 for weak right-handers down to seven for those with the most extreme right-handedness.
Dr Corballis said the study supported a theory that human beings developed a pattern of one hand being stronger than the other because of changes in the brain when the species learned to speak.
"If you get mice to reach into a glass of water, they are equally left- and right-pawed," he said.
"We are probably the only one with dominant handedness."
He believes that most people have a genetic mutation that makes the left side of their brains dominant. The left brain controls the right side of the body. It also governs speech in 99 per cent of right-handers and, surprisingly, in 70 per cent of left-handers.
"The theory says that cerebral dominance is good for language because it establishes the programming in one side of the brain so there isn't any conflict," Dr Corballis said.
Another researcher said: "Prior to this, the unlateralised 'bicameral mind' was guided by hallucinations, or disembodied voices, that instructed people what to do."
But there was a tradeoff. The genetic mutation that let us develop language also reduced the role of the right brain, which controls "spatial" skills such as the ability to find the way out of a maze or to see things differently - skills strong in groups such as architects, where there are abnormally high numbers of left-handers.
Right-handers therefore tended to have good language but poorer spatial ability.
Left-handers might have better spatial skills but poorer language: "They are John McEnroes."
Mixed-handers also had good spatial skills and were often good athletes. "They are the Richard Hadlees of the world - he bowled right and batted left."
Dr Corballis believes the right-handed mutation has never completely taken over our species because of the advantages of keeping spatial as well as verbal skills.
"Others have argued that left-handers have an advantage, but only if they are in a minority.
"For example, in tennis, if you are left-handed you have an advantage because you are a surprise. You are used to playing with right-handed people but they are not used to playing with left-handers," he said.
* Left-handers around the world will mark "Left-Handers Day" on Wednesday.
The Left Centre
Are you superstitious?
Are these statements true or false?
1. Some people can make me aware of them by just thinking about me.
2. I have had the momentary feeling that I might not be human.
3. I have sometimes been fearful of stepping on pavement cracks.
4. I think I could learn to read other people's minds if I wanted to.
5. Horoscopes are right too often for it to be a coincidence.
6. Things often seem to be in a different place when I get home even though no one has been there.
7. Numbers such as 7 and 13 have special powers.
8. I have occasionally had the silly feeling that a television or radio broadcaster knew I was listening to him/her.
9. I have worried that people on other planets might be influencing what happens on Earth.
10. The Government refuses to tell the truth about flying saucers.
11. I have felt there were messages for me in the way things were arranged, like in a store window.
12. I have never doubted that my dreams are the product of my own mind.
13.Good-luck charms don't work.
14. I have noticed that sounds on my records are not there at other times.
15. The hand-motions that strangers make seem to influence me at times.
16. I almost never dream about things before they happen.
17. I have had the momentary feeling that someone's place has been taken by a look-alike.
18. It is not possible to harm others by thinking bad thoughts about them.
19. I have sometimes sensed an evil presence around me, although I could not see it.
20. I sometimes have the feeling of gaining or losing some energy when certain people look at me or touch me.
21. Occasionally I have the passing thought that strangers are in love with me.
22. I have never had the feeling that certain thoughts of mine really belong to someone else.
23. When introduced to strangers, I rarely wonder whether I have known them before.
24. If reincarnation were true, it would explain some unusual experiences I have had.
25. People often behave so strangely that one wonders if they are part of an experiment.
26.At times I perform little rituals to ward off negative influences.
27. I have felt that I might cause something to happen by simply thinking too much about it.
28.I have wondered whether the spirits of the dead can influence the living.
29.At times I have felt that a class lecture was meant just for me.
30. I have sometimes felt that strangers were reading my mind.
* Answers: All statements are superstitious except statements 12, 13, 16, 18, 22 and 23.
By SIMON COLLINS science reporter
Psychologists have found that "mixed-handed" people are more superstitious - and possibly also more creative and lateral-thinking - than people who are either right- or left-handed.
Mixed-handed people, who may, for example, write with their left hand but kick with their right foot, have a higher risk
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