research essay

2

Patel

Nimit Patel

Dr. Randall

English 1101

29 November 2017

Left Handed vs Right Handed

Let me guess, you are a right-handed person? Have you ever thought about how unique being left handed is? In this society right handed is more dominant than being left handed. Many people don’t realize how much being left handed can add value to their lives. They do certain things with left hand but use their right hand as well. Years ago, being left handed was considered as ill-omen. Which means if you were born being left-handed, it was considered a devil’s hand. In colonial day, being left handed could even get a person accused of witchcraft. As of today, about 12% of the world population is left handed. What makes them unique and different then right-handed people? Are they smarter than right-handed people? Do you wish you were left handed? What makes them left handed and you a normal person with right hand? The research will find out the answer for these questions in this research paper. Through research on primary and secondary sources, the paper aims at revealing why left-handed people are few, and what makes them special to the right handed?

It’s still not proven what makes people left handed but research indicates that the lefties are the complex collaboration between genes and environment. Everyone thinks that being left handed is a good thing because they are smart in everything. According to the global TCK care and education, “The human brain has two cerebral hemispheres, the left and the right. The left hemisphere processes things more in parts and sequentially, and is the center for language, science, mathematics, and logic. This left side of the brain is usually dominant, and because the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, these individuals are right-handed” (Global TCK Care & Education). The right side of the brain is the source of drama, art, music and feeling. In left handed individuals the right side of the brain is dominant. More than half lefties use their right hemisphere for language. However, many left handed people have speech issues. This is because left handed people’s brain allows them to process the language in more unique and creative way. This is the reason why many lefties seem to be smart in math.

To get a better understanding of these theories, the researcher made a primary research survey with 16 participants, 8 females and 8 males. The participants are students from English 1101. The survey has 19 questions over whether they use their left hand or right hand. In addition to that, there is an interview with the biology professor at the Dalton State. According to the survey, “2 out of 8 females are left handed and all males are right handed” (English 1101) it seems like only 2 out of 16 participants are left handed. This is very interesting because when the researcher asked the participants which arm is on top when they folded their arm in front of them, the number increased drastically. As of result 14 participants had their arm on the top even though they are right handed. So, the research concluded that even though they are right handed they still use their left hand for different things.

To understand more about why they use their left hand and not right even though they are right handed, researcher interviewed the biology professor at Dalton State to find out more about this mystery. The professor at the Dalton State stated that “even though they are right handed they still have the genes from their parents or their ancestors who were left-handed, the way to prove this is through the Mendel theory” (Lucht 1107). This theory involves the passing of discrete units of inherence, or genes form parent to offspring. As such, the researcher did an experiment on a parent who were right handed, but one had genes tied to being left-handed. To understand this claim more thoroughly he created the chart shown below.

RR	Rl
Rl	ll

R I

R

I

R= RIGHT HAND GENE

l= LEFT HAND GENE

In order to be a left-handed, both of the parents need to have a gene for left hand. As shown in the chart, capital “R” takes over the lower cases “l” which shows that right hand gene takes over the left hand and that’s how he or she becomes right hand even though they have left hand gene. However, even though both of the parents are right handed and have a gene for left hand, there is still a 25% chance of being left hand. According to the biology professors, “both of the parents need the left-hand gene to have an offspring of left hand, even though they are right handed” (Lucht 1107).

From the research, it is clear that being left hand is very rare and unique. With the help of a professor at the Dalton state, the Mendel theory proved that even if both of the parents are right handed and the ancestors were left-handed, it is still a low chance of being left handed. According to the survey, there were few students who were left-handed, but both of their parents have a dominant trait. If none of the parents have a left-hand gene then the child will be right hand and so will their children’s, until someone in the family marries someone who is left handed. Right hand gene is very common and that’s why it’s very dominant over the left-hand gene, which makes it harder for people to get left hand offspring.

Works Cited

“Global TCK Care & Education.” Global TCK Care & Education - Research on Left-

Handedness. Web.

“Left Handed vs Right Handed Survey.” English 1101 survey. Dalton State College. 2017.

Lucht Elizabeth. “Left Handed vs Right Handed Survey.” Biology 1107 interview.

Dalton State College. 2017.

.

Left Handed vs Right Handed

Male Left Handed Right Handed Writing-R Claping-R Arm on top-L Spoon-R 0.0 8.0 8.0 6.0 8.0 8.0 Female Left Handed Right Handed Writing-R Claping-R Arm on top-L Spoon-R 2.0 6.0 6.0 5.0 6.0 6.0 Mother Left Handed Right Handed Writing-R Claping-R Arm on top-L Spoon-R 0.0 8.0 Father Left Handed Right Handed Writing-R Claping-R Arm on top-L Spoon-R 0.0 8.0