Dexterity: genetics or environment?

Question

I remember a long time ago I answered a question in Y!A about being left handed. I stated that it was entirely genetic - if you've proven to choose one hand over the other since birth - and I was shocked to find how many people gave me thumbs down because of that answer!

I come from a direct line of left handed people, while I myself am ambidexterous. My grandmother is left handed, but at a young age forced to write with her right hand. Her husband is right handed - if he knows how to write at all. My dad is left handed, my dad's brother is left handed. His sisters both right handed, none of their children left handed.

My dad's brother is married to a right handed woman, but his two daughters are both left handed. Myself, I always use my left hand to write, but I only use my right hand for other motoric actions. My brother is completely left handed. My mother, of course, is right handed.

(contd.)

Answer 1

Genetic.

The environment simply bring this dexterity out, in you, when needed.

Answer 2

It is both, because you can train yourself to be right handed, left handed or both

Answer 3

I know my ex husbands mother had told me when he was little and she put down crayons for him-HE used his left hand to try to "draw". She always let him do what was natural to him. She said that when he started kindergarden, the teachers forced him to use his right hand when they were teaching the letters.

You have an interesting observation-is the child trying to COPY what the adults are doing, or is it a natural tendancy?

Answer 4

The same thing that happened to the second answerer's husband happened to me. I write very slowly as a result.

Answer 5

i believe it is a combination of enviroment and dexterity as some peole are quite able to wwrite with both hands whwereas some people find it easier to use ethier right or left, in some cases people are encouraged from an early age to write with the opposite hand

Answer 6

It can be termed as both. But genetics i believe is more powerful in this sense as the child before realizing the effects of his environment and reacting to it chooses a particular hand of preference.

I am ambidextrous. I was left handed but during course of time was also taught to use my right hand. Now, in my case, both the conditions have had a major role. By genetics i am a left handed person and due to environmental changes a right handed person too!

Hope i didn't confuse. Though genetics has a upper hand  both factors play equal roles.

Cheers!

:)

P.S. Did you get my mail regarding the correction for the charts?

Answer 7

It is genetically decided which hand is your dominat hand from birth, but obviously a child can be trained to be good using both hands..

For example, Muslim law requires that people eat with their right hand and wash themselves with their left hand...LEft handed people have no problem following these rules because they are trained to be ambidextrous