There are many tests that determine if a person is right-handed or left-handed. So, people who listen with their left ear or pick up the phone in their left hand are not 100% right-handed, and therefore, in a sense, almost every one of us can be called ambidexter.
Features of ambidextrous children
Since both hemispheres of the brain are equally developed in ambidexters, they make decisions much faster, assess the situation and are in many ways superior to ordinary people. But in childhood, ambidexters need more care, since the equally developed hemispheres of the brain become the cause of language difficulties, hyperactivity syndrome. Such children are worse given exact sciences, timely support and additional activities allow the child to catch up with classmates, usually by the age of 10-12 this unpleasant feature passes. If the child does not find adequate support, ambidexterity can lead to mental retardation.Reasons for ambidexterity
The most plausible theory of ambidexterity, like left-handedness, is Geodakian's. The scientist conducted research and found that similar phenomena are more often observed in twins, premature and weakened children. The right hemisphere of the brain, which controls the left hand, is inherently dominant, but the left one is capable of developing much more intensively, and with optimal development of the embryo, it first catches up and then surpasses the right one in terms of development. In cases where the fetus experiences hypoxia, there are other unfavorable factors, the development of the left hemisphere is inhibited and, as a result, the child is born left-handed or ambidextrous. In 2008, the gene for left-handedness was discovered, but there is no exact data that all left-handers and ambidexters, without exception, have this genetic feature.The human brain is unique, it is able to redistribute loads and, if necessary, take on additional tasks. A person at any age can acquire the skill of ambidexterity, a vivid example of this is the ten-finger printing method, partly ambidexterity skills are developed by pianists. In the event of an injury to the right hand, anyone quickly learns to use the left hand, first for routine tasks, and then for high-precision motor skills.
Many believe and even teach in school that the right hemisphere is responsible for the left half of the body, and the left for the right half. And the theory is quite popular that right-handers and left-handers differ in their abilities and skills: left-handers have developed intuition, right-handers have logic.
In my opinion, this is, if not a primitive, then a greatly simplified understanding of the processes taking place in the human brain. Such a crude division of functions with a generalization of the abilities of all parts of the hemispheres, and not even their interaction, simply ignores specific parts of the brain that can enter these hemispheres, as well as, for example, the structure of the cerebral cortex, grooves and adhesions connecting the hemispheres.
Neuroanatomy, of course, is not limited to dividing the brain simply into two hemispheres, but shows that all elements of the brain have functional significance. There is a division into shares, into divisions, into areas, and each of them is responsible for something, so it is worth considering them rather than the whole hemispheres.
Due to the specialization of the brain, even if a person writes well with both hands, this does not mean at all that he thinks like Einstein, but draws like Van Gogh. Moreover, such a person (ambidextrous) may simply have developed fine motor skills in both hands, and this will not result in more mental or creative abilities than an ordinary right-hander or left-hander.
Ambidexterity
Ambidexters are both right and left handed. Let me tell you a secret: we are all born ambidextrous. However, by the age of four, an asymmetry of brain structures is formed, and we "make a choice" in favor of the right or left hand.
Born ambidextra, who retain the ability to control both hands equally, make up only about one percent of the population of our planet, and even those who consider themselves to be "two-handed" are not always able to demonstrate absolutely equal control of both hands. Nevertheless, in such people, hemispheric asymmetry is still minimized.
There are much more right-handers on our planet - about 45%, and only about 10% are pure left-handers. The rest are people who have a predominance of any hand when performing a specific action - those who have the so-called "mixed predominance". By the way, in many animal species, the opposite is true - left-handers make up the majority of the population.
The division of abilities and giftedness in any area according to the predominance of the hand, as already mentioned, is very conditional. There is even a theory that the development of motor skills in the left or right hand does not at all affect those parts of the brain that are not involved in coordination of movements.
And what, then, is the peculiarity of ambidextra in terms of the functional load of brain structures?
For right-handers or left-handers, there is a shift in activation of certain areas of the brain, depending on the workload. Thus, the physical and emotional unloading of the brain areas is ensured. This is more difficult for ambidexters. Since the asymmetry of the brain is reduced to naught, the redirection of nerve impulses from overloaded areas is more difficult. There is no asymmetry, there are no special areas that are ready to unload other zones.
Take a look at the gif below. The direction of rotation of the figure can be easily changed, it is only necessary to strain a little. This is how we activate the left or right brain regions, redirecting the load from one hemisphere to the other. I have always wondered what ambidextra with their equivalent brain functionality would see in this case.
Since ambidextra have some problems with the division of functions between loaded and unloaded brain areas, scientists have identified several disadvantages of ambidexterity: ambidexters get tired quite quickly, concentrate their attention worse and process information coming from outside for a long time. Ambidextrous children are prone to hyperactivity. In addition, they are believed to have difficulty acquiring language skills. Ambidextrous scores in intelligence, thinking, arithmetic and memory tests are usually slightly lower than those of left-handed or right-handed people. And according to the results of one of the few phenomena of ambidexterity, it was suggested that ambidexters are more likely to suffer from schizophrenia than ordinary people - in many ambidexters, the LRRTM1 gene was found, which is responsible for the potential occurrence of this disease. Lefties also fell into the category of potential carriers of this gene. Of course, this does not mean that all ambidextrous or left-handed people have schizophrenia.
There are many theories that claim that innate ambidexterity is more talented than people with a dominant right or left hand. Someone claims that the level of development of ambidextra is higher than that of other people.
The fact remains unambiguous that the same control of both hands helps in sports, in art, in music. Many athletes develop this skill without fail, because without it, it is sometimes simply not possible to achieve anything in this area. And of course, one should not forget about purely everyday situations, from the most innocuous - when “you don’t know what to grab onto” - to very unpleasant, like fractures.
"Developed" ambidexterity
As with innate ambidexterity, developing this skill can be overwhelming. But still there are those who have independently developed the quality described above.
Assessment of the influence of this skill on the life of an ambidextrous one is twofold: someone with enthusiasm tells how, after mastering both hands, the interhemispheric asymmetry will come to naught, and the brain will work harmoniously and efficiently, developing new abilities and skills, and someone reports that “two-handedness "Will lead to a conflict of brain functions and inhibition of thought processes.
At the beginning of the 20th century, John Jackson, a senior lecturer at the Belfast grammar school, advanced the theory of the separate functioning of the two hemispheres and even founded the Ambidextrous Cultural Society. In his opinion, the development of right-handedness gave the development of only half of the brain, and, therefore, led to the loss of the potential of the other hemisphere.
If he was right, the ambidexters would be just superhumans.
It is not yet known whether the developed ambidexterity will lead to the same consequences as the congenital one, but based on certain experience, it can be said that with active training of the nondominant hand, aggressiveness, irritability can increase, mood changes quickly, and the speed of calculations, conclusions or inferences can slow down. ...
Some scientists even believe that this can lead to mental imbalances and ultimately lead to the development of mental illness.
But after acquiring ambidexterity, as a rule, there remains a good skill that is applicable in many areas. It's just that during training, you need to carefully monitor your physical and emotional state. And then enjoy the fact that you can perform any action with both hands and, according to individual theories, enjoy the development of creativity and analytical skills at the same time.
If you still get the idea to develop ambidexterity in yourself, the first recommendation is to be patient. To develop this skill and at the same time not overload yourself and your brain, while maintaining clarity of thought, it may take more than one year, maybe even five (although everything is individual).
Begin with the usual Leading Hand Test. Perhaps it will be easier for you if you find out that nature has laid in you not right-handedness at all, but left-handedness, or vice versa. Thus, your potential will help you master the skill faster.
Start small! Do not rush to do everything at once with your non-dominant hand. Most likely, you will get tired of it very quickly, and the results of the work that you did at the very beginning of the journey will be somewhat disappointing. Try doing household activities with your other hand, such as washing dishes, dusting, or brushing your teeth. I do not advise experimenting with cooking - it is fraught with disastrous consequences at the initial stages.
When you feel more or less confident with such daily operations, go to the good old recipes, the familiar hooks and circles that we all derived in childhood in the first grade. And when you have mastered this, write when you can and what you can at every opportunity. But do not forget to watch out for fatigue, do not stuff your brain with left-handedness or right-handedness, which you are trying to develop in addition to the already existing skill from the other hemisphere.
You can try walking in opposite directions. However, I have not tested the effectiveness of this training method.
If you are into sports, doing your usual exercises with the other arm or leg, this will also help you develop ambidexterity. Once you've developed a skill with both hands, it will most likely stay with you forever.
Ambisinistria
So far, a lot has been said about right-handers and left-handers, and those who control their hands equally. And there are also people who are poor at using both hands - ambisinisters. Such "curvature" can be both congenital (and there are even fewer such people than congenital ambidextra), and acquired as a result of injuries and diseases. Ambisinists have no choice but to resort to the recommendations described above and other rather tedious methods to correct the situation. Such work deserves respect.
Lack of study of the phenomena of hemispheric dominance
Unfortunately, neuroscience still gives little information about the impact of the dominance of one or another hand or their complete functional equivalence on the human psyche, on his abilities and talents. We can only hope that in the future, scientists will be able to provide us with more information so that we can organically use and develop new skills and abilities, resorting to such tricks as, for example, teaching ambidexterity.
Each hemisphere of the human brain is responsible for its own specific functions. So, for example, logic works better for those who have a more developed left hemisphere. But intuition and a wonderful imagination are possessed by people with a developed right hemisphere.
Ambidexterity studies such issues. This article will talk about what ambidexterity is, how to become ambidextrous, and what benefits it gives an ordinary person.
Definition of the term
So who is ambidextrous? This is an individual who writes with ease with both hands. This method is called mirror writing.
Ambidexterity is the congenital or acquired development of two hands at once, without a particular emphasis on the leading one. This term appeared in the Middle Ages and originates from the name of warriors who fought equally well with both hands.
Ambidexterity of the brain is a state of a person when the right and left hemispheres function harmoniously and simultaneously... Such people have wonderful intuition and well-developed logic. These qualities make them more competitive and distinguish them from the majority.
Among the talented people of this circle are many famous actors, inventors, musicians, etc. Among them, for example, Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Vladimir Dahl, Harry Truman, Benjamin Franklin, Tom Cruise, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, etc.
A simple test for ambidexterity, which consists in viewing a rotating figure, will help to reveal the ability of two hemispheres to work at once.
1. The image rotates clockwise, which in turn indicates that your left hemispheric activity is dominant. People of this type have the ability to perfectly express their thoughts and have a well-developed logic.
2. Rotates exclusively counterclockwise, which indicates a greater development of the right hemisphere, which is responsible for imaginative thinking, musical skills and intuition.
3. The figure alternately rotates to each side - this is a pronounced property of ambidexterity, when both hemispheres function in the same way.
The makings from birth
Almost all children are born with the ability to be good at both hands at the same time, but as they grow up, they lose this unique feature due to imitation of adults and active retraining by teachers and doctors.
An ambidextrous child may have learning difficulties. Most often, these children are hyperactive and, as a rule, may suffer from a lack of attention syndrome. Their absent-mindedness does not allow them to focus on important tasks. Children with these abilities are prone to frequent headaches.
Ambidexters get tired quickly, they often act up to help the tired body relieve stress, after which they again become calm and balanced. This excessive expression of emotions is a consequence of the active work of the right hemisphere.
The phrase "I am an ambidextrous" should not sound like a sentence, because such a child is an absolutely normal person and at the same time has unique abilities. If a person with similar capabilities appears in the family, then you should not try to retrain him to use only one hand. On the contrary, encourage the skills of two-handedness in such a baby, treat his actions with approval and support him in moments of emotional outbursts.
Main advantages
The acquired ambidexterity is the fruit of persistent practice. Any person, even in adulthood, can retrain and regain the ability that was lost in childhood. According to research by many scientists, the human brain develops up to about sixty years.
The key advantages of using two hands at once are manifested not only in writing, but can also be useful even in everyday life. Ambidexterity is widely used in sports, painting and music. Unique talents help you play tennis better with two hands at once.
Often times, players with a trained left hand outperform opponents who do not have this skill. It is believed that athletes and musicians train these abilities on purpose, because this gives them a lot of advantages over competitors and expands key professional skills.
There are many other benefits of ambidexterity. Usually, if the leading hand is damaged, a person loses the ability to perform many actions. With ambidexterity, such a problem does not exist, because a person can easily do something with one or the other hand.
For example, take your time to write the alphabet with it. Gradually move on to writing small phrases. Also, try drawing geometric shapes with both hands for a few minutes at the same time.
Remember that becoming ambidextrous is not difficult with the right amount of exercise. The main thing is to do it systematically, and not from time to time. By becoming ambidextrous, you get clear advantages over your competitors, especially for people of creative professions and athletes. Author: Ekaterina Volkova
In this tutorial, you will learn how to write with both hands. To do this, I will show you certain exercises that will help you develop this skill in yourself. In addition, I will tell you about the main advantages of this ability. Developing this skill is very beneficial. I'll explain why next.
So, writing with both hands is a very useful activity for a person. You ask, what is the name of a person who writes with both hands and, in general, does everything well, both right and left? They are called ambidextrous.
And the ability to perform equal actions of both hands with the same efficiency without isolating the leading hand is called ambidexterity... Such people have very good intuition, intelligence and great creativity. Also, such people are able to think analytically.
All these achievements are due to the fact that the work includes not one, but two hemispheres of the brain at once. If their work can be synchronized, then you will have a much better chance of achieving good results in any kind of activity. That is, in this way you can reach a new level and expand the horizons of your knowledge.
Also, ambidexterity will significantly help you make life easier in unforeseen situations. For example, for the military, this is a very useful skill in shooting in different conditions. Sometimes there are situations where it is impossible to connect the main dominant hand. This skill can also be useful for boxers, biathletes and other athletes.
In principle, quite a lot is known about the right and left hemispheres. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for creative activity, and the left for logical processes. We mainly develop the left hemisphere. To develop the right hemisphere, it is enough to do something with your non-dominant hand. For right-handers this will be the left hand, and for left-handers it will be the right.
I will say that there is a certain number of exercises for the development of creative activity. Typically, this is the ability to write with both hands at the same time. Also, drawing can be attributed here.
In addition, there is a technique of intuitive writing. This is when the question is written with the leading hand, and the answer is not with the leading. It is especially good to conduct such an activity with long dialogues. (question answer).
You will probably be surprised and say that this is impossible! However, in reality, not everything is so complicated. Everyone can write with both hands. And as you develop this ability, you will notice that you have become much more attentive. Your memory, as well as the ability to navigate in space, and even intuition will improve more noticeably.
So, in order to achieve all of this, you need to start with the simplest. Try drawing geometric shapes first. If you are right-handed, draw with the left and vice versa.
When you see that you have become good at it, then complicate the task and try to draw with both hands at the same time. First, start with the same shapes and only then, when you master, try to draw different ones.
When you see that you are doing these exercises without any problems, then feel free to go to the second stage. Take the sheet with a ruler and start writing with your less developed hand. Write in large block letters first. When you get the hang of it, then go to uppercase. Then complicate the task and try to write whole sentences and small texts.
Draw pictures with your left hand (if you are left-handed, then we start using the right one)... If it is too difficult for you, then at the initial stage, you can first set the points-contours of the picture. Then we complicate the task again.
Start drawing the same picture with both hands at the same time. Then we do the same, but only with a less developed hand. Then again start drawing with both hands at the same time. In general, observe this alternation.
Well, and the last stage. It lies in the fact that the execution of the usual actions for you falls on the less developed hand. (for right-handers it will be left).
The tasks can be different.
For example, with a less developed hand, you can dial a phone number, operate a computer mouse, brush your teeth, hold a spoon, and so on. You can toss and catch the ball without helping with your dominant hand.
Over time, all these actions will become a habit, muscle memory will develop. The main thing is to train daily, just a few minutes a day.
In general, you need to develop both hemispheres of the brain. This will then give you additional benefits in life. And in order to develop these hemispheres, do not be lazy to perform special exercises.
For example, the ability to write with both hands. Well, you already know how to write with both hands at the same time. All that is required of you is desire and patience. In general, be healthy!
Developments
Back in school, children whose left hand was dominant were trying to fix it by forcing them to write and eat with their right. Now this practice is not encouraged at all. And according to the latest research in this area, children who use both hands equally freely more susceptible to mental illness, language problems and learning difficulties compared to their peers.
According to scientists, the results of their research will help teachers and doctors determine which children may develop such problems.
The researchers themselves are not sure what these results mean, although they speculate that the difference is in the brain differences between children with one dominant hand and two. In fact, scientists do not know why some people can use both hands equally(no dominant hand). This skill is also called mixed hand dominance.
They also warn that this phenomenon is very rare, and occurs in one case in 100, so scientists have concentrated on a small group of such individuals.
“Don't assume that our findings suggest that all children with mixed hand dominance are bound to have problems in school or develop ADHD. We found that these children have a higher risk of encountering such problems. But I would like to emphasize that most of the children we observed did not have such difficulties, "says chief researcher Alina Rodriguez.
The study involved 8,000 children from Northern Finland, 87 of whom had mixed hand dominance. First, they filled out questionnaires at the age of 7 and 8, and then at 15 and 16. Since about 90 percent of the population has the dominant right hand, the scientists compared them with children who can freely use both hands or the left hand.
Parents and teachers also completed questionnaires on the performance and behavior of 8-year-olds. Teachers indicated if the children had problems with reading, writing, or math, and rated their performance as "below average", "average" and "above average".
Apart from math, children with a dominant left hand did not have any problems compared to their peers. As for mathematics, at the age of 7-8, the former had 30 percent more problems than their peers with a dominant right hand. And for children who use both hands equally, these problems were 90 percent larger, than in children with a dominant right hand.
In addition, 7-8-year-olds with mixed hand dominance had twice as many problems with language and academic performance. And at the age of 15-16, they had a twofold increased risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Scientists believe that the dominance of one of the hands is associated with the cerebral hemispheres. For example, in people who are free to use their right hand, the left hemisphere dominates.
“We can say that they have atypical specialization of the cerebral hemispheres, different from the normal one seen in people with a dominant right hand,” says Rodriguez.
The right hemisphere may not function in people who are free to use both hands, as well as in individuals with a dominant right hand.
This does not only apply to Finnish children, the researchers say. "There is no reason to believe that Americans will have other traits than the children in this study," Rodriguez said.
