Are left-handers better at maths?
Robert Clark
Published Jan 15, 2026
The results, published in Frontiers, show that left-handers outperformed the rest of the sample when the tasks involved difficult problem-solving, such as associating mathematical functions to a given set of data.
Are left-handed people better at math than right-handed people?
A 1967 study by Douglas found no evidence to correlate mathematical ability with left-handedness or ambidexterity. The study compared the people who came in the top 15% of a mathematics examination with those of moderate mathematical ability, and found that the two groups' handedness preferences were similar.Are right-handers good at math?
Since the '60s, researchers have investigated this link but results have been mixed so far. Some studies found the two groups' handedness preferences were similar, other studies, on the contrary, say left-handers are strongest at math and right-handers are the weakest.Do lefties have a higher IQ?
Although data suggested that right-handed people had slightly higher IQ scores compared to left-handers, the scientists noted that intelligence differences between right and left-handed people were negligible overall.Are left-handed people better at problem-solving?
Studies have shown that left-handers have a more cautious, cognitive approach to problem-solving than right-handers. While right-handers tend to be more impulsive, left-handed people take longer to start a task and are more careful.Scientists Explain Why Left-Handed People are Smarter than the Rest of us
What are lefties good at?
Left-handed people are said to be good at complex reasoning, resulting in a high number of lefty Noble Prize winners, writers, artists, musicians, architects and mathematicians. According to research published in the American Journal of Psychology, lefties appear to be better at divergent thinking.How do lefties think?
Lefties may be more creative thinkers.Some research has found that lefties are better at divergent thinking (the ability to think of many solutions to a single problem), a cognitive hallmark of creativity.