Ambidexterity Auto Saved)

Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter I INTRODUCTION

A. General Consideration Ambidexterity, a state of being equally adept in the use of both appendages, such as the hands and feet, is a very rare phenomenon that occurs only in 1 in every 100 people. Such rarity that even Shakespeare became envious of. His intense desire gave birth to the famous line, ³I will give my right hand to be ambidextrous.´ Who wouldn¶t? Just imagine being able to use you¶re both hands comfortably and simultaneously! But this condition was a mystery for the past mystery or two. It is just recently, scientists have discovered that Ambidexterity is linked to many brain problems. This research paper was made to clarify that ambidexterity is not a perfect condition. That is comes with consequences to burden with, and special abilities to cherish. But most importantly, people who were born with these conditions are not abnormal but different, different in a good way.

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Tomas Del Rosario College

B. Statement of the Problem This paper is the study of Ambidexterity, a famous variety of Crossdominance. It explains why Brain Lateralization affects human handedness, resulting in left/right hand dominance or both. It also tackles the present condition of ambidextrous people. Specifically, it aims to discuss the following points: 1.

What is Ambidexterity?

2.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Ambidexterity?

3.

Is Ambidexterity Ambidexterit y an inborn trait? A disease?

4.

What are the lists of occupations, sports and activities activiti es where Ambidexterity is handy?

5.

Why left-handed and ambidextrous people often excel in the field of Arts and Science?

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B. Statement of the Problem This paper is the study of Ambidexterity, a famous variety of Crossdominance. It explains why Brain Lateralization affects human handedness, resulting in left/right hand dominance or both. It also tackles the present condition of ambidextrous people. Specifically, it aims to discuss the following points: 1.

What is Ambidexterity?

2.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Ambidexterity?

3.

Is Ambidexterity Ambidexterit y an inborn trait? A disease?

4.

What are the lists of occupations, sports and activities activiti es where Ambidexterity is handy?

5.

Why left-handed and ambidextrous people often excel in the field of Arts and Science?

2


C. Objectives of the Problems 1.

To explain the meaning of Ambidexterity, Cross-Dominance, and Laterality.

2.

To study the functions of the two brain hemispheres and their roles in human handedness.

3.

To discuss the consequences of converting handedness, especially in writing.

4.

To prevent pregnant mothers from giving birth to a child with cerebral disturbances.

5.

To unlock the mystery behind the left-handed left-han ded and ambidextrous brain.

D. Importance of the Problem This study is important because of the following reasons: 1.

It promotes awareness to people with Ambidexterity.

2.

It makes the society welcoming and open-minded about the differences of ambidextrous people.

3.

It provides not only information but also warnings about the problems that are linked to Ambidexterity.

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E. Definition of Terms 1.

Handedness ± is an unequal distribution of fine motor skill between the left and right hand.

2.

Cerebrum/Cerebral ± is the largest, most superior, superior , and the upper most portion of the human brain.

3.

Schizophrenia ± is a mental disorder characterized by disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests as auditory

hallucinations,

paranoid

or bizarre

delusions,

disorganized speech and thinking. 4.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) ± It is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder that is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attention

problems and hyperactivity with each behavior occurring

infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age. 5.

Ambidextrous ± a person who can use his/her either hands with equal ease on specific or all tasks.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter II WHAT IS AMBIDEXTERITY?

Ambidexterity is the state of being equally adept in the use of both left and right appendages (such as the hands) .It is one of the most famous varieties of cross-dominance. In modern times, it is more common to find people considered ambidextrous who were originally left handed and who learned to be ambidextrous either deliberately or during childhood institutions such as schools where right-handed habits are often emphasized or required. Also, since many everyday devices (such as can openers and scissors) are asymmetrical and designed for right-handed people, many left-handers learn to use them righthandedly due to the rarity or lack of left-handed models. Thus, left-handed people are much more likely to develop motor skills in their non-dominant hand than right-handers (who are not subjected to left-favoring devices). Right-handers may become ambidextrous due to an injury of their right hand or arm. The word "ambidextrous" is derived from the Latin roots ambi, meaning "both," and dexter , meaning "right or favorable.´ Thus, ³ambidextrous´ is literally "right / favorable on both sides." The term ³ambidexter´ in English was originally used in a legal sense of jurors who accepted bribes from both parties for their verdict. 5

Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter III HISTORY

A. Greeks of the Ancient World The Greeks encouraged and tried to promote ambidexterity because it was simply logical in sports and battle to be adept with both hands instead of one. By combining the Phoenician style of writing right to left with their own left to right system, the Greeks created a reading and writing system called Boustrophedon, where the lines ran alternately right-to-left and left-to-right. With alternating sweeps of the eyes back and forth, reading was more swift and efficient.

B. Ambidextrous and Left-handed People y

Left-handers were severely discriminated against during the 18 th and 19th centuries and it was often ³beaten out´ of people.

y

In adulthood, left-handers were often shunned by society, resulting in fewer marrying and reproducing.

y

As discrimination was reduced in the 20 th century, the number of natural left-handers who stayed left-handed increased.

y

The rising of motherhood contributed as, statistically, older mothers are more likely to give birth to left handed children.

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C. Characteristics of Ambidextrous People Studies have shown that ambidextrous people are more emotionally independent, more determined, more adaptable to new situations and more apt to handle problems without giving up.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter IV COMPARISON: LATERALITY, CROSS-DOMINANCE, AND AMBIDEXTERITY

³Laterality is the preference that most humans show for one side of their body over the other.´ Ex. Hand, Eye, Leg and Ear

A. Characteristics of Mixed-Laterality People 1. People with mixed-laterality are clumsy and make poor athlete. 2. People with mixed-laterality are easily flustered.

³Cross-dominance, also known as mixed-handedness, mixed-dominance, or hand- confusion is a fine motor skill manifestation where a person favors one hand for some tasks and the other hand for others.´ Ex. A cross-dominant person might write with the left hand but throw primarily with the right.

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³Ambidexterity is the ability to use both your hands with equal ease or facility, but if you¶re armless, it could be your feet.´ Ex. Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873) could draw with both hands simultaneously -- a horse's head with one hand and a stag's head with the other.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter V KINDS OF AMBIDEXTERITY

A. Inborn Ambidexterity People that are naturally ambidextrous are rare, with only one (1) out of one hundred (100) people being naturally Ambidextrous.

True ambidexterity - is when a person can carry out all tasks with equal proficiency with both hands ² is much rarer.

B. Learned Ambidexterity It is more common to find people considered ambidextrous who were originally left-handed and who learned to be ambidextrous either deliberately or during childhood institutions such as school where right-handed habits are emphasized or required.

Penwald Ambidextrous - People that are made ambidextrous

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1. Consequences of Converting Handedness Converting handedness, whether it is from a dominant left hand to a non-dominant right or the reverse, (especially in writing) does not result in a cerebral dominance but rather a multi-faced cerebral disturbance or damaged. The outside influence of the socio-cultural environment, namely the "right-handed culture", may have life-long, detrimental effects on lefthanded children, the overwhelming majority of whom are exposed to environmental attitudes like "Left-handedness is an aberration" or ³We live in a world that is set-up for right-handers". The process of converting the child can then have massive detrimental effects that can extend across the child's entire life.

a. Primary Consequences 1. Disturbances in memory for all three areas of information processing (encoding, storage, and recall) 2. Difficulty in concentration (early fatigue) 3. Difficulty in reading and spelling (Legasthenic problems) 4. Spatial disorientation (e.g. confusion of left and right) 5. Speech problems ranging from stammering to stuttering

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6. Fine motor disturbances evident in writing and other activities requiring precision.

b. Secondary Consequences 1. Feelings of inferiority 2. Shyness 3. Introversion 4. Overcompensation 5. Defiance to belligerence 6. Braggadocio (Empty or pretentious bragging) 7. Provocative behavior 8. Bed-wetting 9. Nail-biting 10. Personality disturbance 11. Emotional problems that can last into adulthood

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter VI ADVANTAGES OF AMBIDEXTERITY

A. Ambidexterity Means Better Memory Having a close left-handed relative makes right-handers better at remembering events than those from exclusively right-handed families, new research suggests. There is a downside, however, as members of these ambidextrous families may be relatively impaired in their ability to recall facts. According to the study, having a left-handed sibling or parent means the organization of your brain is intermediate between a pure µlefty¶ and a pure µrighty¶.

1. Two Types of Memory 1.1 Episodic Memories- are those with context that is separate from the

information itself.

Ex. Where you park your car or where you left your keys

2.1 Semantic Memories- are things ³you just know´. Ex. The date of the Fall of Bataan or the recipe of Apple Pie

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Different brain hemispheres play in memory. The information itself tends to be stored in the left hemisphere, while the place and time context resides in the right.

B. Fighting Advantage Lefties have had the upper hand in hand-to-hand combat since the Bronze Age, and even today, in the boxing ring. Left-handedness could be beneficial in times of violence, and genetically passed from one generation of fighters to the next. While a righty fought with a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left, a left-handed swordsman could make strong surprise attack on the opponent's unprotected right side. The concept of lefties advantageously killing off all the righties doesn't hold strong, however. The 9-to-1 ratio of right- to left-handedness existed long before the advent of sword and shield warfare and continues to this day.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter VII DISADVANTAGE OF AMBIDEXTERITY

A. Several Problems are linked to Ambidexterity Children who are ambidextrous are more likely to have learning and language difficulties than those who are right or left-handed, according to research.

1. Linguistic Problems In typical brains, language is rooted in the left hemisphere, and networks that control attention are anchored in the right²but brains without a dominant hemisphere may be working and communicating differently. At age 8, children who were "mixed-handed" were twice as likely as right-handed children to have difficulties with schoolwork or language, such as with reading or their ability speak as well as their peers. Possible problem: SCHIZOPHRENIA

2. Scholastic Problems and Attention Related Problems At age 16, mixed-handed children were twice as likely to have problems with language at school and scores on assessment tests indicating they likely had ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD include excessive

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fidgeting, inability to focus on a task or concentrate, impulsivity and poor school performance. Mixed-hand children were also more likely to have signs of psychiatric disturbances. One explanation for why mixed-handed children may be more prone to language difficulties and ADHD is because being ambidextrous is a proxy for a typical cerebral lateralization, or differences in the structure and function of the brain. Left-hander and Ambidextrous people tend to be over-represented at both ends of the intellectual scale and as well as geniuses the group also produce a disproportionately high number of those with learning handicaps. There have been suggestions of links between left-handedness and dyslexia, stuttering and child autism among others

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter VIII CAUSES OF AMBIDEXTERITY

Somatic or physiological factors can result in brain injuries that are mostly short-term in nature which can also then disturb the dominance in the cerebral hemispheres with differing degrees of effect . Such dist urbanc es may manifest t hemselves in unstable and variable handedness. This manifestation then

precipitates the label "ambidexterity" or an incorrect evaluation of handedness.

A. Insufficient Oxygen Supply to the Brain during Perinatal Period ³Women who experienced stressful life events or depression during pregnancy were more likely to give birth to children who became mixed handed.´ Children who suffered oxygen deprivation during the perinatal period (from the sixth month of pregnancy to the end of the first year) also suffer more serious inj uries in t he dominant side of t he brain than in the non-dominant side. This then

has an effect upon the phenomenological development of handedness manifested and explains why many of these children vary the use of their hands until they reach school age. Only much later will they settle upon using one hand. In the literature and in experimental testing, these children are often labeled "ambidextrous". And in regard to their school performance, they are frequently labeled "problem cases". 17


This also explains why during the period of time in which the cerebral hemispheric dominance normally begins to manifest itself through hand preference, the correct handedness of many children cannot be reliably determined and how then the correct handedness of these children may be unintentionally converted. Based on the experiences of real case studies, children, who have suffered cerebral damage and who have difficulty in school, may experience a gradual reduction in the resulting impairments until the age of puberty is reached. At this time, the early disabilities are compensated for, often disappear completely, or only surface in the form of unexpectedly flipping letters or numbers when writing quickly. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, the dominant cerebral hemisphere is the most significantly damaged for the very reason that it must fulfill more of the brain's functions and has consequently a greater oxygen requirement. Through oxygen deprivation, disturbances in the naturally dominant cerebral hemisphere are manifest. This means that a child who suffered such damages switches back and forth between using the left and right hand and may at first even perform worse with the dominant hand than with the non-dominant hand while, for example, drawing or writing.

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B. Other Theories

Evolutionary Theory (The warrior and his shield) This theory attempts to explain why left-handedness is rare by the position of a warrior's shield and his heart. Basically, since the heart is on the left side of the body, a right-handed warrior (who holds his shield with his left hand to free the right hand for a weapon) would be better able to protect his heart and therefore more likely to survive.

Biological Theory There is strong evidence that prenatal testosterone contributes to brain organization. One theory is that high levels of prenatal testosterone results in a higher incidence of left-handedness.

Environmental Theory (Birth Stress) Its basic premise is that left-handedness is due to brain damage during the birth process. Difficult or stressful births happen far more commonly among babies who grow up to be left-handed or ambidextrous. Birth stress is also associated with a number of birth defects and complications, including cerebral palsy and autism.

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Genetic Theory Some think there may be a "Left-Handed Gene" - some think that Leftpeople just LACK the "Right-Handed gene" and that there is a 50/50 chance of a person who lacks the "Right-Handed Gene" being either left-handed or righthanded. The latter theory would explain why identical twins occasionally have different handedness, and why two strongly left-handed parents don't always have left-handed children (as they theoretically should if both their genotypes were rr).

Ambidexterity is therefore neither a goal to aspire to nor is it a gift from God. Instead, it is first and foremost the mark of brain damage.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter IX LISTS OF OCCUPATIONS, SPORTS, AND ACTIVITIES WHERE AMBIDEXTERITY IS AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR

A. In Sports Players who can use both hands and sometimes feet are quite advantageous. That is why they are highly prized and sought after.

Lawn Tennis - a player may be able to reach balls on the backhand side more easily if they're able to use the weaker hand.

Ex. Luke Jensen and Maria Sharapova

Golf - some players find cross-dominance advantageous in golf, especially if a left-handed player utilizes right-handed clubs. Having more precise coordination with the left hand is believed to allow better-controlled and stronger drives.

Ex.

Mac O'Grady, Phil Mickelson and Mike Weir are both right-handers who golf left-handed; Ben Hogan was the opposite, being a natural left-hander who played golf right-handed. This is known as cross-dominance or mixed-handedness.

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Athletics Ex.

Jonathan Edwards a now-retired British triple jumper, who still holds the world record in Athletics, was known to be able to kick with either foot while he played rugby. He displayed unprecedented ambidexterity while jumping off either foot during his competitive jumps.

Rugby Union Ex.

Jonny Wilkinson is a prime example of a player who is equally good at kicking off both feet. He normally place kicks using his left, but dropped the goal that won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 with his right.

Basketball Ex.

Andrew Bogut is stronger in the post with his left handed hook shot than he is with his natural right.

Brothers Marc Gasol and Pau Gasol can make hook shots with both right and left hand while both their dominant hand is right.

Los Angeles Lakers left-handed point guard Derek Fisher used to dunk with his right hand for his early years.

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Candace Parker , forward for the WNBA Sparks team, also has equal dominance with both hands.

Baseball

³Switch hitting is highly prized because a batter usually has a higher statistical chance of successfully hitting the baseball when it is thrown by an oppositehanded pitcher.´ Ex.

Pete Rose, who had more hits than anyone else in the history of Major League Baseball, was a switch hitter. An ambidextrous hitter can bat from whichever side is most advantageous to him in that situation.

Ambidextrous pitchers Ex.

Tony Mullane won 284 games in the 19th century. Elton Chamberlain and Larry Corcoran were notable ambidextrous pitchers.

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Billy Wagner was a natural right-handed pitcher in his youth, but after breaking his throwing arm twice, he taught himself how to use his left arm by throwing nothing but fastballs against a barn wall. He became a dominant left-handed relief pitcher, most known for his 100+ MPH fastball.

Although it is quite uncommon, in badminton, ambidextrous players are able to switch the racquet between their hands, often to get to the awkward backhand corner quickly. As badminton can be a very fast sport, at professional levels of play, players might not have time to switch the racquet, as this disrupts their reaction time.

B. In Arts Leonardo da Vinci was ambidextrous, and he wrote his notes backwards with his left hand. He then read them with a mirror.

Michelangelo (1475-1564) was a multi-faceted genius like Leonardo da Vinci. He often painted with both hands. When one got tired, he switched to the other.

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Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873) British artist could draw with both hands simultaneously -- a horse's head with one hand and a stag's head with the other. He taught drawing and etching to Queen Victoria who was a lefty that became ambidextrous.

Ludwig van Beethoven - a German composer and pianist.

Tom Cruise - learned how to use two weapons at once. He can also switch hands while playing pool.

Shigeru Miyamoto - is ambidextrous, though he prefers using his left hand. As a video game designer, he made some of his characters, such as Mario and Link, left-handed or ambidextrous.

Oscar Wilde - Playwright and poet

C. In Science and Engineering Albert Einstein ± Scientist Richard Feynman ± Scientist Nikola Tesla - Engineer and Inventor

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D. Other Notable Ambidextrous Persons Benjamin Franklin was also ambidextrous and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with his left hand.

U.S. 20th president, James Garfield was a well educated backwoodsman born in a log cabin. Although he could write with either hand with equal ease, he could also write Greek with his left hand and Latin with his right hand simultaneously.

Harry Kahne demonstrated his mental dexterity in 1922 by performing several mental operations simultaneously. While one hand was writing mirror language, the other hand intermingled upside down and backward letters.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter X BRAIN LATERALIZATION

One of the first things that anatomy students learn is that the brain is divided down the center. In most people, one half, or hemisphere, plays a dominant role. Handedness has long been a crude measure of hemispheric dominance, because each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body. Right-handers, for instance, are likely to have dominant left hemispheres. Today researchers are realizing that studying ambidextrous children (who have no dominant hand) could yield insights into the consequences of an unusually symmetrical brain.

A. Left and Right Hemispheres Crossover The handedness of a human being is an expression of an inborn, innate lateralization of the cerebral hemispheres where one side dominates. In the neural system, the tracts are "crossed". Thus, a dominant right cerebral hemisphere results in a dominant left hand and a dominance of the left cerebral hemisphere is responsible for right-handedness. With the exception of human beings and possibly songbirds, the Greater apes, and certain other mammals, the cerebral hemispheres (the two halves of the brain) of Earth's creatures are essentially alike, or symmetrical, both in 27


appearance and in function. Human cerebral hemispheres and those of the exceptions noted above, develop asymmetrically in terms of function. The most noticeable outward effect of the asymmetry of the human brain is handedness, which seems to be unique to human beings and possibly chimpanzees. For the past two hundred years or so, scientists have known that language and language-related capabilities are mainly located in the left hemispheres of the majority of individuals² approximately 98 percent of right-handers and about two-thirds of left-handers. Knowledge that the left half of the brain is specialized for language functions was largely derived from observations of the effects of brain injuries. It was apparent, for example, that an injury to the left side of the brain was more likely to cause a loss of speech capability than an injury of equal severity to the right side. Because speech and language are such vitally important human capabilities, nineteenth-century scientists named the left hemisphere the "dominant," "leading," or "major" hemisphere. Scientists named the right brain the "subordinate" or "minor" hemisphere. The general view, which prevailed until fairly recently, was that the right half of the brain was less advanced, less evolved than the left half²a mute twin with lower-level capabilities, directed and carried along by the verbal left hemisphere.

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B. Left Brain and Right Brain Comparison

Intellect Intuition Convergent Divergent Digital Analogical Secondary Primary Abstract Concrete Directed Free Propositional Imaginative Analytic Relational Lineal Non-lineal Rational Intuitive Sequential Multiple Analytic Holistic Objective Subjective Successive Simultaneous Looks at parts Looks at whole

³Right brained´ person may include an expansive imagination, artistic abilities, higher inclination towards risks and possession of philosophical qualities. Ex. Artists and Poets

³Left brained´ person are more inclined toward safety first, are practical, have sense of order, and possess good comprehension skills. Ex. Engineers and Scientists 29


In general, schools tend to favor left-brain modes of thinking, while downplaying the right-brain ones.

1. How Right-Brain vs. Left-Brain Thinking Impacts Learning Curriculum ± In order to be more ³whole-brained´ in their orientation, schools needs to give equal weight to the arts, creativity, and the skills of imagination and synthesis.

Instruction ±

To

foster

a

more

whole-brained

scholastic

experience, Teachers should use instruction techniques that connect with both sides of the brain. They can increase their classroom¶s right-brain learning activities by incorporating more patterning, metaphors, analogies, role playing, visuals, and movement into their reading, calculation, and analytical activities.

Assessment ± For a more accurate whole-brained evaluation of student learning, educators must develop new forms of assessment that honours right-brained talents and skills.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter XI Achieving an AMBIDEXTROUS MINDSET

A. WHOLE BRAIN THINKING Whole Brain thinking is when the two cerebral hemispheres of the brain unify to create a "whole brain thinking" pattern. Using whole brain thinking enhances living, logic, intuition, analytical skills, mechanical reasoning and artistic ability. Whole brain thinking essentially enriches brain functioning to a superior level of heightened awareness. Clarification of whole brain thinking is that persons who use whole brain thinking have the ability not only to be creative in the arts, but could possibly fix a diesel truck engine as well. By using whole brain thinking, the impossible becomes possible.

1. Famous Persons Who Used Whole Brain Thinking Picasso, whilst he was an artist, an activity primarily associated with the right brain, Picasso made many margin notes about the specific compilation of colours ± showing left brain thinking too. What¶s more, his Cubist paintings introduced a mathematical (left brain) concept to his work.

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Einstein, a scientist ± an activity you¶d normally associate with left-brain. Einstein was nearly thrown out of school for day dreaming. His theory of relativity was born out of daydreaming about riding sunbeams through space.

Lewis Carol, as well as writing Alice in Wonderland and nonsense poems such as µJabberwocky¶ (right brain), Lewis Carol was an expert mathematician as well as being a deacon in holy orders and a university lecturer. Leonardo da Vinci is possibly the greatest example of a whole brain thinker. He was an artist (he painted the Mona Lisa), and sculptor, as well as being a scientist, inventor, architect and mechanic. He designed a flying machine that resembled the modern helicopter more than 400 years before it became a reality.

Frederic Bartholdi Frederic Bartholdi, creator of the Statue of Liberty, utilized whole brain thinking -- not only did he create the Statue of Liberty; he also engineered the scientific dimensions of his creation.

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2. Activities where both brain hemispheres are working When we multi-task, juggle home and work, hold a phone conference and take notes simultaneously -- we are incorporating an ambidextrous mindset. No, perhaps we don't all use both hands to achieve these tasks, but we are using both brain hemispheres to accomplish our deadlines and goals. Reflective thinking, NLP ( Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Human Consciousness Studies, empowerment training and meditation are all superb tools to achieving an ambidextrous mindset; also known as whole brain thinking. Whether you're juggling a career and home, children and spouse, or merely trying to multi-task at your engineer's or computer desk, achieving an ambidextrous mindset is what enables us to effectively do the things we do. Imagine the profound potential and human resolve we could discover if we only took the extra steps to tap into our greatest resource: Ourselves.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter XII HOW TO BE AMBIDEXTROUS EXERCISES

An autopsy of Einstein's brain revealed a larger profusion of superficial capillaries interlacing the cerebral cortex than the average brain, as well as an additional amount of Glial cells. Obviously, the more we use and exercise our brain, the more it physically grows.

The following exercises are designed to task the little used areas of the brain to allow such growth. To be able to use both hands equally well, practice is the key.

y

During the day, use your left hand more (if you're right-handed) by consciously switching when you're about ready to do something -- pouring a glass of milk, bouncing a ball, flipping and picking up coins, hammering a nail, cutting and buttering bread, stirring your coffee, swirling water in a glass, twisting off bottle caps, etc.

y

Wherever you would use your one hand, use the other instead -- putting a key in the door, combing your hair, brushing your teeth, shaving, grasping objects, etc.

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y

When putting on your clothes; put your other hand or foot into the garment first. Thread your belt around your waist in the opposite direction. Put your watch on your other hand.

y

Use your other hand in sports -- hitting a baseball or a tennis ball, throwing a football, shooting a basketball, etc.

y

Practice stirring 2 cups of tea simultaneously, swirling 2 half filled glasses of water clockwise and counter clockwise, and bouncing two balls at the same time. Get used to the kinesthetic feeling of using the muscles of both your hands and arms together.

y

Catch 2 balls thrown to you at the same time.

y

Throw 2 paper wads at the same time into the same paper basket -- one underhand and the other overhand.

y

Throw 2 darts simultaneously at a dart board with both hands.

y

Write with both hands at the same time.

y

Draw a butterfly, a vase or a geometric figure using both hands simultaneously.

y

Many musical instruments are played ambidextrously, and many athletes are adept at using both of their hands.

y

Since swimming is an ambidextrous activity, teaching dyslectic children to swim often helps them to read and write normally because it balances the brain hemispheres. 35


1. Mirror Writing Mirror Writing is considered to be the writing in the overturn direction than is usual for a known language such that the outcome is the mirror image of standard writing. It appears standard when it is reflected in a mirror. An example of mirror writing can be seen on the façade of ambulances, where the word "AMBULANCE" is frequently written in incredibly big mirrored text, so that drivers see the word the correct way just about in their rear-view mirror. While mirror writing is considered to be normal during the preschool phase, it should alert parents and teachers if it continues after formal reading and writing instruction has begun. If it continues it indicates a severe visual perceptual deficit, especially with visual discrimination of position in space. More specifically, the person is unable to discriminate between left and right, has a problem with the reading direction, and might also be unable to cross the midline. Deficits in other foundational skills might contribute to this problem.

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Leonardo da Vinci

(1452-1519),

painter, most popularly known for his fresco

Italian T he

Renaissance

Last Supper and

his painting Mona Lisa, was also a sculptor, engineer, architect, inventor, scientist and naturalist. And he is the most

celebrated

mirror writer to date. He usually used mirror writing, starting at the right side of the page and moving to the left. Only when he was writing something intended for other people did he write in the normal direction. No one knows the true reason Leonardo used mirror writing, though several possibilities have been suggested: y

He was trying to make it harder for people to read his notes and steal his ideas.

y

He was hiding his scientific ideas from the powerful Roman Catholic Church, whose teachings sometimes disagreed with what Leonardo observed.

y

Writing left handed from left to right was messy because the ink just put down would smear as his hand moved across it. Leonardo chose to write in reverse because it prevented smudging.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter XIII CONCLUSION

Based on the data that I gathered I found out that ambidexterity is a very convenient ability. It is an essential factor in some sports and occupation. But most importantly it allows you to use your both brain hemispheres that makes impossible, possible. By learning wholebrain thinking, we open new horizons and ways of perceiving things that makes us a better person in physical and psychological aspects. But Ambidexterity comes with consequences and disadvantages. Because I also found out that many brain problems are linked with Ambidexterity, like Autism and Dyslexia. Many studies were conducted to find what really causes Ambidexterity, but none of those were proven. Why is it so? Because ambidexterity has something to do with the function of the human brain, the human brain that even today remains a mystery to the mankind. This research paper will make us welcoming and open-minded about the differences ambidextrous people have. It will also promote awareness and supply correct information on dealing with this uncommon condition.

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Tomas Del Rosario College Chapter XIV FINAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOK: Edwards, Betty.(1979-1999). T he N ew Drawing on t he R ig ht S ide of t he Brain. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc.

WEBSITES: Ambidexterity.(2011). Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambidexterity/ (February 15, 2011)

Anthes, Emily. (2010).Ambidexterity and ADHD: are they linked? Available:http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ambidexterityand-adhd/ (August 5, 2010)

Bailey, CarolAnn L.(2005).Achieving an ambidextrous mindset. Available:http://www.holisticjunction.com/articles/Achieving-anAmbidextrous-Mindset.html/ (March 15, 2007)

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