Linkshänder sind konkurrenzfähiger als Rechtshänder. Die meisten Menschen sind Rechtshänder, aber 10,6 % sind Linkshänder. Linkshänder sind seltener als Rechtshänder, weshalb ihre Angriffe in einer Kampfsituation überraschender sind als die von Rechtshändern. Dies könnte helfen, die Entwicklung der Linkshändigkeit zu erklären.

**Left-Handers Are More Competitive Than Right-Handers**

A new study investigates the association of left-handedness and competitiveness.

KEY POINTS

The „fighting hypothesis“ suggests left-handed people are more successful in some competitive sports.

A new study has found that left-handed people show higher levels of hypercompetitive orientation.

**Competitiveness may help explain the evolution of left-handedness.**

**Most people are right-handed, but 10.6 percent are left-handed**. There is a long-standing debate on why this specific 90-to-10 pattern between right-handedness and left-handedness has been pretty much stable across centuries and countries. One perspective from evolutionary psychology is that both right-handedness and left-handedness have evolutionary advantages.

The ‚fighting hypothesis‘ and the evolution of handedness

Right-handers may have an advantage in some cooperative behaviors, such as learning to craft something based on somebody else modeling how to do it. As most teachers are likely right-handers, right-handed learners may have an easier time picking up a new task. **Left-handers, in comparison, are thought to have an advantage in competitive situations, such as fighting, because they are much rarer than right-handers, making their attacks in a combat situation more surprising than those of right-handers.**

Indeed, studies have shown that left-handers have an advantage in some sports like fencing and badminton (see my post on this research). However, for left-handers to actually benefit from their surprise advantage in sports or fighting situations, they should be highly competitive and actively search for conflict situations or sports competitions. However, until now, there had been no study on competitiveness and handedness.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-38170-x

I think it’s important to clarify „more competitive“ here. Seems like they mean „more competition-oriented“rather than „having a competitive advantage“, though they also talk about that latter as a background finding.

EDIT: swapped the terms around. The novel conclusion here *is* about competitive mindset, after all.

Get’s confused in ambidextrousness.

If you aren’t paying attention to the hand with the weapon you are going to be surprised!

There is also a basic bio aspect of being left handed relating to salt.

One of the primary genes associated with left handedness, [PCSK6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCSK6) is particularly interesting as „PCSK6 KO mice were shown to develop salt-sensitive hypertension“. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26259032](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26259032)

So variants of PCSK6 in particular would be advantageous in the presence of someone with lower salt levels. We know that CAH is associated with being left handed. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3561787/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3561787/) and ’salt wasting‘ is a major attribute of forms of CAH (NCAH being the common form). So it is advantageous for a family lineage that have NCAH to also collect PCSK6 variants and be more likely to be left handed.

Most things in biology do multiple things and it is likely that this is the same.

Having lateralized dominance is tied to hemispheric specialization. For example language is largely lateralized. Most animals are ambidextrous. The degree of sided dominance goes up with intelligence.

Why are some people lefties? Some of it is environmental. Twins are more likely to be left-handed ( restricted movement in womb). Maternal health predicts it. Gender to a degree (more in men).

I wear my watch on my right.

Left-handers never see it coming.

Left-handed fighters have 10 times more training against a right handed fighter than a right handed fighter against a left handed fighter if the training group is uniform and they have trained for the same time. This advantage disapates as you reach the top level of fighters. I wonder if the increase in competiveness comes from having an early advantage in most sports they ever try and thous have an easier time getting hooked and finding the competetive part of a sport more rewarding and fun

A high percentage of left handed people (myself included) are also ambidextrous.

Was this accounted for in their study?