Do you think being left-handed makes you special? What about how it may affect your learning abilities and your career? Peter Orszag offers a look at how handedness impacts your life, examining findings of Harvard economist Joshua Goodman.

1. WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE
left-handedRead the full article on Bloomberg View
Peter Orszsag

2. We used to assume being left-
handed made you special. Right?

3. Only around 12% of people in the
world are lefties.

4. The brain of a left-handed person
works differently than that of a
right-handed person.

5. The brain of a left-handed person
works differently than that of a
right-handed person.
But does belonging to the 12
percent bring some IQ or other
benefit?

6. A Harvard economist named Joshua
Goodman found that being left-
handed may actually be a curse.

7. A Harvard economist named Joshua
Goodman found that being left-
handed may actually be a curse.
Goodman’s research established
that lefties earn about 10 to 12
percent less than righties

8. Goodman’s research found that lefties have:

9. Goodman’s research found that lefties have:
more emotional and behavioral problems

10. Goodman’s research found that lefties have:
more emotional and behavioral problems
more learning disabilities

11. Goodman’s research found that lefties have:
more emotional and behavioral problems
more learning disabilities
complete less schooling

12. Goodman’s research found that lefties have:
more emotional and behavioral problems
more learning disabilities
complete less schooling
work in occupations requiring less cognitive skill

13. Other stats Goodman found:

14. Other stats Goodman found:
Lefties are three or four percentage
points more likely to be in the bottom
tenth of test scores than righties.

15. Other stats Goodman found:
Lefties are three or four percentage
points more likely to be in the bottom
tenth of test scores than righties.
Lefties in the U.S. are less likely to be in the top
10 percent of cognitive skills.

16. What’s the bottom line?

17. According to Goodman’s study, for most people, being lefty is a
disadvantage.

18. According to Goodman’s study, for most people, being lefty is a
disadvantage.
But there’s good news…

19. Lefties born to left-handed mothers
have outcomes similar to righties.

20. What could explain this?

21. Here's one theory.

22. Here's one theory.
Right-handed children of left-handed
mothers experience adverse effects
that are similar to left-handed children
of right-handed mothers, according to
Goodman’s findings.

23. From early childhood, if you are born
with a different predominant hand
than your mother, you might face more
economic obstacles throughout your
life.
It's possible that learning to mimic
one’s mother in early learning is more
challenging when handedness differs
between mother and child.