The Right Hand Knows What the Left Hand Just Did Summary and Analysis

The hand has been used through its long history for both social interaction and attention. For example, handshakes, salutes, gestures are used for interaction and gloves, rings and nails attract attention. Right or left hands are used as symbols to signify issues like the hand and finger on which a wedding ring is worn. Social pressures often dictate which hand is dominant or most frequently used, such as right or left handedness, and attribute to it other irrelevant characteristics like intelligence or sex. For example, neurophysiologist William Calvin claims female apes are the main hunters and cradle babies in their left arm to sooth them by hearing their mother's heartbeat. Other scientists claim practicing a skill, like rock-throwing, using one hand more frequently...