Science Fact Finder | The Human Body - In Addition To Left- Or Right-Handedness, What Other Left Or Right Preferences Do People Have?

In addition to left- or right-handedness, what other left or right preferences do people have?

Most people have a preferred eye, ear, and foot. For example, one study that showed 72 percent of people to be strongly right-handed and 5.3 percent to be strongly left-handed also found that 46 percent of people are strongly right-footed while 3.9 percent are strongly left-footed.

While estimates vary about the proportion of left-handers in the general population, it may be as high as 10 percent. Some 90 percent of healthy adults use the right hand for writing and two-thirds favor the right hand for most activities requiring coordination and skill. Gender does not appear to be a factor in determining hand preference.

Sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, p. 506; Brandreth, Gyles. Your Vital Statistics, p. 84; Springer, Sally P. Left Brain,...

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