Most of the people reading this article are right-handed, a small portion of the audience are left-handed, and a completely insignificant proportion are ambidextrous. An ambidextrous person is a person who is able to use both of his hands equally at the same time.
According to statistics, approximately 1% of children are born with ambidexterity. However, this ability can be developed independently in adulthood.
Previously, it was believed that ambidexterity was a diagnosis, and educators sought to eliminate the defect. Now, on the contrary, some consciously develop the ability to use both hands. After all, in fact, this phenomenon has many advantages that make such people special.
Who is ambidextrous and what is ambidexterity
Ambidexterity is a person with equally developed hemispheres of the brain and, accordingly, with the same degree of mastery of the left and right hands, without pronounced dominance of one of them (definition from Wiktionary).
In simple terms, an ambidexter is right-handed and left-handed at the same time. Ambidexterity is often innate, but through long and hard training you can develop it yourself.
Ambidextrous people are usually called those people who can perform actions with their right and left hands with the same time intervals, clarity, speed, and quality.
We invite you to watch an interesting, detailed overview video, where participants demonstrate their abilities, and they are tested by specialists and research the phenomenon.
Meaning of the word
The word concept has Latin roots. The particle ambi is translated as “both”, and dexter is “right side”. That is, literally this is a person with both right hands.
The comparison with the skills of right-handers is due to statistics - there are many more of them than left-handers. An international team of scientists led by Marietta Papadatou-Pastou of the National University of Athens found that only 10.6% of people are left-handed. The study covered more than two million people aged 16 years with different levels of education and citizenship.
Reasons for ambidexterity
Ambidexterity may be due to physiological and other reasons. The phenomenon when a person works with both hands at the same time has not been fully studied, so all the reasons are purely hypothetical.
| Physiological causes of ambidexterity. | Other reasons for ambidexterity. |
| Birth of a premature baby. | Intentional skill development. |
| The birth of twins. | Attention deficit. |
| The birth of a weakened child. | Defects in oral and written speech that were not corrected in a timely manner. |
| The presence of the LRRTM1 gene (which is also responsible for the development of schizophrenia). | |
| During intrauterine development, the left hemisphere of the brain developed more intensively than the right. | |
| Intrauterine hypoxia. | |
| Birth injuries during the birth of a child. | |
| Symmetry of the brain hemispheres. |
Interesting facts about ambidextrous people
The similar development of the cerebral hemispheres makes a person truly amazing. Not only can he write with both hands, but he also has other interesting features:
- in ambidextrous people, all paired organs work the same (they do not have a leading leg, a dominant ear, or a dominant eye);
- interhemispheric asymmetry in two-handed people is not pronounced (this means that their brain functions as a whole organ, not divided into hemispheres);
- it is more difficult for andexters to cope with negative emotions than for left-handed or right-handed people;
- During school, ambidextrous people experience difficulties in studying the exact sciences;
- ambidextrous people are not religiosity;
- The corpus callosum, which is located on the border of the two hemispheres of the brain, is much larger in ambidexters than in other people, so they have a very good memory;
- in two-handed people, the activity of the hippocampus decreases earlier than in left-handed or right-handed people (this explains the earlier onset of age-related memory changes in them, characteristic of old people);
- Ambidexterity is more common in men, because testosterone is a male hormone.
- an innate feature of the brain in two-handed people provokes synesthesia (such people perceive sounds in color, I feel the taste of one color or another).
FAQ
Is ambidexterity congenital or acquired?
Both variants of development of the feature are found.
Is it possible to become ambidextrous?
You can develop ambidexterity with regular training. See the last section of the article.
Is it worth developing ambidexterity?
It is not known for sure how such training will affect the brain, so you should only be guided by your own desire.
Pros and cons of the phenomenon
Pros of ambidexterity:
Ability to perform work that requires equal use of both hands.
The ability to engage in certain sports and achieve heights in them.
Success in solving problems and issues that require the use of both logic and creative imagination.
Tendency to make discoveries.
The ability to do several things at once and retain a large amount of information in your head.
Ability to maintain and focus attention on multiple issues.
Disadvantages of ambidexterity:
The difference between a person and other people, possible problems in communication and building social connections.
Difficulties in learning in secondary school.
Instability of the emotional background, due to which a person may not contain his feelings or demonstrate them too clearly.
Development of hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder.
Conflicts with others due to increased emotionality.
Not just hands
Ambidexterity is not just about arms. This feature determines the absence of a leading system in relation to any organ at all. Ambidextrous people do not have an aiming eye - since both aiming eyes, the pushing leg, have a better hearing ear, like right-handers or left-handers. Their active hemispheres switch from right to left with amazing speed, almost instantly.
And the combination of subtle intuition and clear logic helps the ambidextrous person to very quickly grasp the essence of events and analyze information literally in a split second - and this, of course, is a plus. However, if you think about it, for the most part we try to separate feelings from reason - it’s easier there, but it’s almost impossible for an ambidextrous person to do this, as a result he experiences serious nervous overload. And this is a minus.
Source: Instagram @akterka_klever
Ambidexterity test
There is a simple test that helps you find out whether a person is right-handed, left-handed or ambidextrous.
You need to take two pencils or pens in both hands and try to write the same word several times at the same time. If after a couple of minutes of training you begin to write words easily, quickly and legibly, then the person has a clear tendency towards ambidexterity.
Another picture test. Determine which direction the girl is spinning, to do this, start the video.
If a girl spins clockwise, then the right hemisphere is more developed; if counterclockwise, then the left hemisphere is more developed.
Famous ambidextrous people
Ambidextrous people are special people, with a specific mindset, and among them there are many famous outstanding personalities who have made a great contribution to the development of all humanity.
For example, Leonardo da Vinci, a famous scientist, encyclopedist, artist and inventor, who created the Mona Lisa and designed the flying machine long before its appearance.
Famous guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who could play the guitar both left-handed and right-handed.
Tennis champions Maria Sharapova and Martina Navratilova would not have become such outstanding athletes without ambidexterity.
In addition, famous ambiexstars are actor Tom Cruise, singer Mireille Mathieu, writer and dictionary author Vladimir Dal.
Recommendations for raising a child
You need to work with ambidextrous people in a special way and have the right approach to education.
The main problem that parents of ambidextrous people face is their increased activity. There is no need to scold, punish an ambidextrous child, or force him to play quiet games.
It is better to always keep him in sight and try to direct his inept energy in the right direction. For example, enroll an ambidexter in a sports section or buy specialized equipment for home.
Other recommendations:
- An ambidextrous child grasps and understands information faster than his colleagues at school or kindergarten. An ambidextrous person quickly becomes bored, he gets distracted, fidgets, and interferes with the activities of others. It is worth giving ambidextrous people additional tasks, because they thrive in multitasking conditions. For example, everyone draws a family, and at the same time you can ask the ambidextrous person to count all the colors that he used to draw, and write their names in a column on a separate sheet.
- Ambidextrous people often cannot cope with emotions. An adult must demonstrate a positive example of behavior. For example, remain calm and unperturbed, show the ambidexter how the problem can be solved. The main thing is to do it sincerely.
- You should not tell an ambidextrous child which hand to write, draw, or eat with. Let him choose his leading hand. Ambidextrous people are unique and non-standard, and attempts to force them into a framework can lead to anxiety and other nervous conditions.
- Understand and accept the child’s individuality, have an idea of what the term ambidexterity means. See first section.
- Don’t try to raise an ambidextrous child to suit yourself, make him comfortable and like everyone else. We'll have to learn to be very tolerant.
- If a child has difficulties with socialization, then tell him how to make friends with the guys (what topic to talk about, what game to offer, where to invite).
- Develop ambidextrous talents and encourage his desire to be creative.
I wonder if there are teachers, educators or other education workers among our readers? Have you encountered ambidextrous children in your practice? Tell us about your experience in the comments, we are sure it will be useful.
Strengths and weaknesses of the expressed feature
Parents, educators, and teachers are concerned about the influence of the phenomenon on overall development. Some, in a panic, force the child to relearn, based on the principle that being different from society means being worse. Others encourage emerging abilities and help consolidate them. Such adults objectively consider the child gifted and clearly express a positive attitude towards unusual skills.
Research by many scientists and psychologists has helped to formulate the strengths and weaknesses of special people. It is impossible to say unequivocally whether the life of such a person will be good or bad under the influence of the work of both hemispheres of the brain. Success is influenced by factors whose positive or negative effects can only be regulated by the individual himself.
Types with both hands at the same time
The main positive impact of ambidexterity on overall development is the mastery of both types of thinking. Logic and imagery help:
- Contribute to different areas of activity;
- It is better to navigate in current ambiguous situations;
- Analyze diverse issues on different grounds;
- Quickly absorb educational material;
- Quickly switch from one job to another;
- Develop strong-willed qualities.
Such children can have successful, interesting lives. Each profession welcomes knowledge, skills and abilities from different disciplines. A non-standard approach to activities helps to quickly find a solution that fully satisfies the given conditions. The ability to take control of emotions, act rationally and anticipate the outcome significantly reduces the occurrence of conflict situations.
In addition to the existence of obvious advantages of the same development of both hemispheres, there are also undeniable disadvantages. Statistical data and reliable results of scientific research were used as the basis for the provisions.
- Ambidextrous individuals are more likely to suffer from schizophrenia among left- and right-handed people. This pattern was identified by Timothy Crowe, a psychiatrist from Oxford.
- Significant problems with one of the cognitive processes of attention are common in childhood. Children have poorly developed concentration; it is more difficult for them to work for a long time with a specific object, ignoring distractions. This causes problems in studying and mastering the material.
- Children are more irritable. They often and quickly lose their temper, are tearful, nervous, and quick-tempered. Any little thing can make them angry. Psychologists argue about the reasons for such emotionality and regularly publish various hypotheses.
- These children get tired quickly. In the absence of self-control skills and perseverance, they can give up any task, stopping to rest. Whether they return to work depends on the degree of development of the volitional qualities of the personality traits.
- Hyperactivity in children manifests itself in ignoring small details, physical activity, impulsiveness, emotional disturbance, and frequent mood swings.
- Often, due to the large volume of information received, these children often complain of severe, long-lasting headaches.
Gradually, the qualities accompanying the phenomenon appear more clearly. The most controversial period begins in adolescence. At this time, schoolchildren actively express their reluctance to study due to reduced academic performance, behave demonstratively in communication, and do not strive to make contact.
Left-handed girl - right-handed boy
Despite the list of shortcomings, experts note that the level of development of such children is much higher than that of others. Useful simulators, effective developments and effective technologies are produced to facilitate study and leisure time.
Before organizing a play or learning space, any parent is recommended to carefully study the features of the phenomenon. If a child actively demonstrates activity in both hemispheres, experts advise against making attempts to change the course of development.
How to become ambidextrous right-handed and left-handed - techniques
If a person decides to become two-handed or ambidextrous, then he will have to train. What exercises to focus on:
- Perform actions that require approximately equal use of both hands (hand washing, picking berries, weeding the garden).
- Try to perform everyday activities with your non-dominant hand. For example, hold a cutlery, toothbrush or dishwashing sponge in your other hand. Very soon this position of the object will become familiar.
- If a person carries a bag over his shoulder, but move it to the other side.
- Prepare food with your non-dominant hand. For example, cut off cheese, peel an egg, stir borscht.
- Often the non-dominant hand is weaker than the main one. You should start strengthening your non-dominant hand. For example, exercise with dumbbells or an expander.
- To train motor skills, write words, draw pictures or geometric shapes with both hands at once. At first, you shouldn’t strive for perfection. If what is written can be read and understood what is shown in the picture, then this is a success.
- Try to master mirror writing. This forces the brain to work actively, so you don’t need to devote a lot of time to this exercise, otherwise fatigue will set in.
These exercises actively develop the brain (memory, thinking). Indirectly, mastering ambidexterity increases intelligence, develops the skill of quick decision-making and quick adaptation.
Thank you for reading the article. Tell us in the comments if you have met ambidextrous people among your relatives, friends or colleagues? Or maybe you yourself are one?
Repost the article on social networks or send it to friends. It is interesting to know that there are such unique and non-standard people as ambidextrous people.
Ability Benefits
A pencil in the hands of an ambidextrous man
All people can be divided into left-handed, right-handed and ambidextrous. The latter are quite rare. The harmonious development of the two hemispheres promotes a combination of logic and the ability to assess the situation as a whole. Intuitive perception allows you to take the right actions in emergency situations.
The peculiarity of ambidextrous people is also that they have clear, beautiful speech, complemented by emotional and figurative content. This combination makes you believe the speaker. Therefore, the world knows many famous ambidexters.
You should also remember the subtle perception of colors and musical sound. Therefore, such people often engage in creativity. They can quickly get used to the role, feeling and understanding their character, while simultaneously analyzing his actions and actions.
Ambidextrous people are people who have both hemispheres developed in approximately equal parts. They are successful and competitive.
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