Handedness Distributions in Nine Professional Groups

Abstract

The relationships between profession and handedness were studied in approximately equal numbers of accountants, architects, dentists, lawyers, librarians, mathematicians, orthodontists, orthopedic surgeons, and psychiatrists (ns = 133 +/- 36; N = 1196). Handedness was estimated using laterality scores derived from the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and self-reported global handedness preference scores. Architects and lawyers had the most lefthanded average laterality scores. Orthopedic surgeons, mathematicians, and librarians had the most righthanded average laterality scores. Psychiatrists and lawyers had the most ambilateral laterality scores, mathematicians and librarians the least. These findings are discussed in relation to theories of handedness and cerebral localization of visuospatial and language function.