Most people have one side of their body that’s stronger than the other. For example, if you’re right-handed, you probably do everything with your right hand – brush your teeth, comb your hair, write, eat, etc. That also means that, most likely, you have stronger sight in your right eye, stronger hearing in your right ear, and put your right foot into your trousers first. Why is that so?
As a child develops and interacts with her world, her brain slowly works through a configuration called lateralization, where one side of the brain takes charge, i.e. becomes the dominant side, while the other side becomes the supporting region.
Mostly, the left side of the brain takes control. That’s why most people are right-handed, because one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.
Are you wondering how to determine your child’s dominance?
It’s easy.
- For eye dominance, give your child the inner tube from a roll of paper towel or toilet tissue and ask her to pretend it’s a telescope and look through it. Note the eye she puts it to…that’s her dominant eye.
- To check for foot dominance, have your child kick a ball and notice which foot she uses.
- To find out ear dominance, give your child a telephone and ask her to pretend to call a friend. Observe the ear she holds it up to. That’s her dominant ear.
- For most children, the dominant hand will be the hand they write with. But that isn’t always the case. Many children have been taught to write with their right hands because it’s the norm, without any thought of the child’s preferred hand. To confirm your child’s dominant hand, hand her an object with both of your hands. Take note of which hand she uses to accept it.
Those people who do not have that unilateral dominance are said to have mixed dominance, which is also known as cross dominance or crossed laterality. They prefer to do different activities with different sides of their body. For example, write with the right hand and eat with the left hand. This mixed dominance may cause the brain to be disorganized.
It has been said that people whose hand, eye, foot, or ear dominances are not consistently either right- or left-sided are at risk of experiencing academic difficulties.
This idea that there is a correlation between academic performance and mixed dominance has been gaining popularity, so in 2017, a group of researchers conducted a study to determine the impact of crossed laterality on academic achievement and intelligence. They did a systematic review and meta-analysis of the articles published on the topic, since 1900. They did not find strong evidence in favor of a relationship between crossed laterality and academic achievement.
Although these researchers found that mixed dominance does not cause learning disabilities, others have found that mixed dominance appears more often in children with dyslexia.
If your child is mixed dominant, there is no need to “fix” her dominance. Instead, focus on recognizing your child’s strengths, and engage her in brain lateralization exercises frequently, to ensure that her limbs cross the midline of her body.
Notwithstanding everything I’ve said here, remember that research has definitively shown that the brain can change.
If you don’t know your eye dominance, here is one way to find out:
- Extend your arm out in front of you and place your thumb over a distant object, for example, a light switch.
- Now close each eye, one at a time. Your thumb may seem to move depending on which eye is open. If your thumb remains over the object when one eye is open, this is your dominant eye.
Are you right or left eye dominant?
This is fascinating! I have never thought of any dominance except for hand. I talk on the phone with my left ear, I do know that – and my left arm is MUCH stronger because of carrying babies and waitressing – is that practice of natural preference or because I needed my right hand free for fine motor? I love these questions!
With the ear, I find that most right-handed people hold the phone to their left ear to facilitate taking notes while talking. If you find that you use your left ear even when there is not a need to write, it could still be the result of habit. The next time you have to listen keenly to someone or something, notice which side of your head you tilt toward the person or thing. 😁
I have never heard of mixed-dominance until this post! I find it fascinating. I believe my left ear is dominant because that’s what I use to talk on the phone. My left arm is physically stronger, but my right hand does better with fine motor skills.
I tried to figure out my eye and wasn’t able to figure it out!
Thank you for a very interesting article!
Hey Julie,
It sounds like you have mixed dominance. I do too.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I appreciate you.
I can only write with my left hand but have to use my right hand and foot for everything else. My right eye is dominant and also my right ear. My strength is on my right side. I’ve always felt like there’s something wrong with me.
I am cross dominant. I am left eye dominant. I write with my left hand, can eat left or right handed (depending on space available to each side, prefer right though), in softball in school I could bat left or right handed. Everything else is right handed. I think I prefer right ear for phone, but, I can think of cases where I start by listening on the left, but switch to take notes.
I have always mixed up left and right, I have to stop and think about it. Same with North, South, East, West. I have a tendency to reverse letters and numbers when I am in a hurry or tired. I’ve never been evaluated for dyslexia, but wouldn’t be surprised if I do have a minor case of it (can dyslexia be minor?) I also suspect that I may have ADD (again, never evaluated for it). I often go “down a rabbit hole” when working on something. Today is a perfect example. I was working on a course for web development and then started researching handedness. I don’t even remember why now. I’ve always called myself semi-ambidextrous and hadn’t heard of cross dominance until today. Oh and I’m 60 years old.
Thanks for your transparency, Regina. Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe. Most people with mild dyslexia will notice the unusual manner in which they do things and just find ways to cope that work for them. ADD just means that the brain hasn’t been taught to focus and attend with deep thought on one thing at a time. Playing or working with electronic devices and being addicted to social media contribute to this condition. The only way to know if you have any of these is to get tested. Then again, if you’re getting along well, why bother?
I cannot speak for the rest of the world, but mixed dominance runs in my family, and we are not under-achievers academically. My daughter began to read at two-and-a-half and now has a PhD. I have a physics PhD, an MBA and can speak six languages and read four alphabets, two of them fluently. My brother can speak a similar number of languages. All three of us have mixed dominance. So don’t let anyone write you off because you have mixed dominance! (Oh, and by the way, my daughter and I have been diagnosed with ADHD. Once again, don’t let anyone write you off.)
Thank you, Jane, for affirming and championing people with neurodiverse brains. They can be legendary learners, if parents and teachers know how to help them discover their superpowers and inspire them to soar.