Cross Dominance
Monday, November 29th, 2004
A condition in which the preferred eye, hand, or foot are not on the same side of the body. For example, a person may be right-footed and righteyed but left-handed. Also called mixed dominance.
-
Welcome
-
LD Resources is a collection of resources on various aspects of learning disabilities with comments from community members. For more on this web site see our About page. Use the sidebar for navigation and browsing content by category. Use the search field below for general searches. We hope you find this site a useful resource.
Search
Subscribe (RSS)
-
Latest Comments
- Sanford on Can We Train Ourselves to be Smarter?
- Caryl Frankenberger, Ed.M. on Can We Train Ourselves to be Smarter?
- Sanford on FSU gets $8.5M grant to find answers to dyslexia
- Hosana Eilert on FSU gets $8.5M grant to find answers to dyslexia
- Sanford on Better Attention for Kids with ADHD Through Imaginative Design?
- Secil on Better Attention for Kids with ADHD Through Imaginative Design?
- Sanford on Is There an Upside to Dyslexia?
- Richard on Is There an Upside to Dyslexia?
- Sanford on Do Better! Learning Disabilities and Therapeutic Interventions
- Fuschia on Do Better! Learning Disabilities and Therapeutic Interventions
- Sanford on College scholarships for LD students?
- EB on College scholarships for LD students?
- Sanford on College scholarships for LD students?
- Richard on College scholarships for LD students?
- Solange on College scholarships for LD students?
- Sanford on Can We Train Ourselves to be Smarter?
-
Categories
- Books and Videos (78)
- Camps and Residential (10)
- Colleges (93)
- Computers and Software (58)
- Discussion Topics (66)
- Education Issues and Ideas (146)
- Events and Conferences (22)
- Glossary (178)
- K-12 Schools (283)
- LD Support Organizations (50)
- LD Support Professionals (81)
- LD Support Sites (30)
- Learning Disabilities and Mental Health (33)
- Learning Materials (13)
- Legal Resources (14)
- Low Tech Tools (27)
- News (42)
- Personal Stories (63)
- Portable Keyboards (13)
- Reading, Writing, and Math (60)
- Reference (7)
- Shapiro Looks at K-12 Schools (69)
- Social Issues and Ideas (81)
- Technology Issues and Ideas (61)
Is it possible Natural Selection Causes cross dominance? If humans are the cause of an Imbalance environment, why would’nt natural selection select a cross dominant individual(s) to (for my cause).. slow down the process of retaining information, are to analyze data more efficiently. It takes me a long time to learn reading material and takes tremendous mental effort on mainitaining focus..do the information traveling between Two Hemispheres instead of one. My biologicial professor noticed my behavior and said I analyze things alot. If Human created intelligece that is in-consistant with natual laws. Why would’nt nature give birth to individuals who cannot retain information as fast as others?…..I believe this is the cause. Why would nature continously produce individuals who does not push for conformity to maintain biological diversity or harmany thinking with nature????? My web page is under design and it is www.intelinforce.org If you have any expertise on distuinguishing mis-leading informaiton from Good information (consistant with the laws of nature) visit my web-site and email me….or post a forum here. I am considered as a minority. Because I cannot retain information at a fast rate..(Cross Dominance)….I’m in college and it’s very challenging to study for 3 to 4 hrs a day on one subject and still take care of myself physically and mentally. I’m Open for mutual research study questions.
Pushing for Innovation in humans and techonlogy
Curtis
Curtis, if I understand you correctly what you are saying is that folks with cross dominance are a useful generic mutation because they process information more slowly and therefore possibly more deeply.
I actually think one part of what you are saying here is right on and we have cultural proof these days: folks who process too much information too fast suffer from environmental ADD and don’t process anything deeply. Maybe an inability to process a CNN screen with an anchor doing a story with two or more crawlers with stock reports and headlines moving by quickly is a good thing in that no matter what the information, there’s no deep thinking about it because that thinking is interrupted quickly.
I’m not sure if cross dominance is an adaptation but I like the way you’re thinking about it. Thanks for posting.
I think this is fascinating! I am cross dominant. I am very “mixed up!” I write, eat, throw, shoot pool, stir, brush my teeth, sew, play shuffle board and strum the guitar left handed. I hit, bowl, tennis, ping-pong, kick, brush my hair, golf, shoot basketball, dribble, shoot a gun and use the mouse right handed. My right eye is dominant….. what does this all mean? I am extremely athletic… all sports. I find sometimes I really have to think which hand to use….like bowling i have started to bowl with my left only to switch after realizing i am better with my right. There are somethings I do equally well with both. For example I can dribble the basketball and kick with both almost equally…???
signed,
Mixed Up!
Rachel, you’re definitely not mixed up unless the different sides of you doing different types of things confuses you (let’s see, how did I do this last time?).
Hey, you might want to check this out:
Right Brain v Left Brain
If you see the woman spinning clockwise it means you’re right dominant (me). If you see her spinning counter clockwise it means you’re left dominant. I’ll be curious how you see the figure and whether you can make it switch at will (I can’t seem to).
I haven’t yet checked out the link you put up Richard, but Rachel: I always remember hearing that Daryl Strawberry (great baseball hitter) is right-eye dominant and left handed.
That (being mixed) gives baseball hitters (and probably tennis players) an advantage. In Daryl’s case, as a left-handed batter, his right eye picked up the ball (rotation, etc) quickly and his left batting stance took over. If you’re left eyed and left handed in batting, your left (back) eye (in the batting stance) is a millisecond slower to pick it up.
So, in some situations being cross dominant is a plus!
Richard, I believe you hit the nail right on the spot. When you say that folks with cross dominance are a useful generic mutation because they process information more slowly and therefore possibly more deeply. That got my attention for some reason and I think we are on a journey to answer why their is what we call mental disorders in this world, but nature is selecting these beneficial mutations to start getting people to process information more deeply and efficiently, especially when it comes to analyzing the environment and coming up with solutions to fix problems that we are causing.
I notice with the nucleotides (genetic Information AT CG) in the human body, it has to be arranged in a certain order if not it’s considered as a genetic mutation. Could it be possible one of the 23 chromosomes that is located on the brain has a shift in this genetic information? What chromosome is the brain located on? If you can find that chromosome you may have the solution to why their are mental disorders and possibly correct them at an early embryo developementt stage. But BEWARE your in the mysteries of life and possible can make things worse when you go and shift something back when nature shifted it first. (kinda scary if you ask me)
I believe It should be looked at but not tampered with for research and learning purposes only, so we can understand why their are mental diorders.
I’m more on the creative and analytical side, and I believe I’m naturally selected to analyze human technology interconnection with the environement and come up with solutions to harmonize it. After all human technology is one of the main causes of genetic disorders and diseases.
And last, I”m very very very consciously aware of the enviroment in how it works. That’s why it’s possible why I process information more slowly and deeply. And I can say when I’m in those text books reading about how nature works alot of the information I take in is analyzed and if it’s not logical it’s a sting to my mind, and I know than the information that i’m reading is corrupted and my mind want accept it. But sadly, I still have to remember it for test purposes. Just keep in mind information is absolute values just like numbers. Their is a right way to do things and their is a wrong way to do things.
Have A Good Day : )
Curtis, maybe better said:
There is a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things, differing for each individual. There is no universal right or universal wrong, just what’s right or wrong for each of us.
Took me the better part of my life to figure that out. I thought, for the longest time, that the way everyone else seemed to be doing things must be right because they seemed to do things more easily than me. That was my mistake. It was right for them and I just had to keep searching to find a way that was right for me. Thankfully I found it or them, just took me a while.
Namaste.
Your correct when it comes to moral laws. But I’m speaking of Natural Laws and it’s absolute effect it have on humans to exist. Natual laws applies to everyone on this planet universally, and every human on this planet is effected by natural laws. For example, every human on this plaent needs oxygen to live if not they will die, wether humans want to believe this as a universal truth are not is a matter of choice but it’s a universal law that applies to everyone weather they want to accept it or not.
Another universal law that apply to everyone is the power of choices, and we all have to make them.
Good Day
Curtis Threats
the link posted by Richard is great, although it doesnt determine your eye dominance like Richard said, but what side of the brain you use the most. If you are left handed and use the right side of your brain the most (like me) you will see the figure spinning clockwise it means you mostly use the right side of your brain etc. I am exactly like Rachel, i write with my left, do things that need detail with the left, stir food, stich whatever. but use my right for power. Even though I’m left handed, i’m right eye dominant. The term for this is cross-dominence.
Joe: I’m not sure where I said “eye dominance” but never mind, we agree on brain laterality.
I haev been researching cross dominance sinc emy 4 year old son started pre-school. His teacher has related to me that he is slower at compeleting his work i.e. coloring and drawing, than the other children due to him constanting switching hands. He colors the left side of a page with his left hand and the right side with his right hand. In writing he will make a downward stoke of the letter A with the left hand and the second downward stroke with is right hand. His teacher has asked me which hand I prefer her use. My stance is that is his decision not mine and not hers. However, I have been told he will never perfect his writing if he does not “choose” a hand. He played t-ball this summer, bats & throws left handed. Kicks a soccer ball with either foot and shoots a gun with his right hand. I am at a lose on how to help him. Any suggestions?
Lisa: I’m with you. I’m pretty sure it’s old school to force handedness and in the age of keyboards, thumb boards, and the like, who cares? Handwriting is important but not AS important as it was twenty years ago.
My suggestion would be to continue to work on handwriting but also work on keyboarding with tools like AlphaSmart Neo keyboards, computers, and the like. And, as you are doing, let him evolve into doing things his own way.
Lisa, defintly let him do things his way because that’s not for us to decide he already dominant one handed and that would be his strongest and also that would be the one he writes with.
I’m cross dominant and my left hand is the strongest and it is the one I write with the best and I’m very comfortable with it.
Not saying we are the same but defintly encourage him to type withought looking at his fingers in his later years, because I’m a really fast typer.
I also was slower at finishing work and remembering things and still is. I believe it will stay that way because cross dominant individuals use both hemispheres in the brain and it takes longer for information to travel from the right hemisphere to the left hemisphere or vice versa, as it would take a non-cross dominant person because the information don’t have to travel between both hemisphere in the brain, so there for it would take longer for the information to travel between the left and right hemispheres of a cross dominant individual causing longer times and learning and finishing thinking tasks.
But that’s o.k., It’s not all about speed on learning, it’s about what you get out of what your taking in and making the best of it to enrich your life to the fullest.
And last, if he ever start sayig people are making fun of him because he is slower at learning than they are, you should defintly tell him the story of the “tortoise and the hare” : )
Good Day,
Curtis Threats
I was glad to find a website on this subject. I am equally, if not more glad, to see that parents are defending their cross-dominant children and waiting for their children to evolve on their own without interference from teachers and parents.
The fact that some crossdominant people read and comprehend information slowly brought relief and validation for me as I have struggled in school and at work all my life with this. It seems that mainstream society wants us to read and comprehend at lightening speed and I have never been able to do that which has caused me to lag way behind in life.
I can totally relate to people who literally watch their hands and/or feet almost battle each other for which one will do the activity at hand. I have watched myself do this at times and find it comical and yet I am glad that I am the only one around at the time of the struggle!
Alana
Alan, some of out differences can be attributed to cross dominance (when it exists) but some might be attributed to something else like sensory integration problems or other kinds of underlying issues that affect sidedness and learning. No matter what, all of us are collections of strengths and weaknesses and many times we can do a lot to strengthen weaknesses by just spending more time doing them in a non-judgmental environment.
It’s very hard to find a non-judgemental environment. Your placed in a judgemental environment when you start school at an early age. The question here is why do we focus on differences in individuals and label them as having a disorder just because the majority don’t have what they have. This world is built on differences (diversiity) and you can see it all around us.
I agree with you Richard when you say we all have strengths and weaknesses so why target those who have a weakness that you are other people don’t have? I believe this society we live in needs to start accepting differences among humans, because llke I said this world is built on diversity and with the human race theirs diversity in personalities, appereances, eye color, voices, skin color, learning, physical abilities, and the list goes on. So those who can’t run a mile in less than 6 minutes are they considered as having a cardiovasular disorder????? Should we all be the same in some areas???
I’m still puzzled about the saying that cross dominance is a mutation. How can one say such when they don’t have genetic evidence. In fact we only have stereotypical evidence and that’s not good. I accept some things about myself and it’s very hard I’m not labeled as the majority in my way of slower thinking and learning.
But…….I just want to know what chromosome or gene Cross dominance is located on so I will know for a fact that it’s a genetic disorder because now where judging cross dominance individuals by mere appearance and behavior and this is stereotyping. Pyschology in general has it’s weeknesses and one of those weaknesses is the labeling theory, because it does more damage than good.
It gives the labeled a crutch to lean on when they fail when their trying to succeed in schools or life in general, and of course their seperated and put in different classes as I was. LD Classes is not good because we are looked at as idiots, dummies the people who ride the short yellow bus with tented windows.
This is not right, before we start labeling people with cross dominance as having a disorder we need hard evidence such as genetic evidence. Because Judging by mere apperance and behavior is stereotyping. Let psychiatry revolutionize their way of doing research by backing up their data with genetic evidence.
Good Day and hope you guys/gals have a wonderful New Year,
Curtis Threats
I just checked out the link that you put up Richard with the female turning in a circle. At first I looked at the woman going counter clock-wise and I said how could this be because I’m dominate left handed Right footed right eyed. Than I really focused and saw the woman turning clock-wise. So I’m able to interpret the spin going clock-wise and counter-clock wise. It’s just how you look at it. My question is could this have something to do with how I interpret information?
hmmm, that’s interesting because I always solve problems in my mind from different interpretations. I think it can enhance problem solving techniques if you can look at a problem like the woman going in a circle and see it from one point of view and than change the way your seeing it and seeing it from another persons point of view and validating your interpretation about the same thing but your interpreting it different. Hope I did’nt confuse you on that one because I just did it.
I really gained some insight on watching that spin. Thanks for the link.
And one more thing to add. If cross dominant people learn slower(as I do) and IF it’s a disorder than why not give a medication that can speed up the communication between both hemispheres surely this would speed up the learning process.
Have a good day,
Curtis Threats
Have a Good Day,
Curtis Threats
hey there. this message is for “Richard” whom posted the
Right Brain v Left Brain link… that was an interesting post i would say… so what does it mean if you see it going clockwise and you can make it switch to go counter clockwise? just wondering…
Shaunie: I think it means you’re truly mixed dominant. I tried pretty hard but could not make it switch although I might just try again now…
Is there other evidence in your life that you’re cross dominant? Do you do some things right handed, some things left handed?
Curtis: I’m not sure there’s medication (yet) that can speed up the processing between the hemispheres of the brain. Frankly, only in school did my slowness mean anything, now that I’m out in the world I do just fine no matter how fast or slow I think.
Open to anyone who can answer this or compliment on it.
I’ve been doing some research on brain characteristics, and it seems that if your left handed you use the right side of your brain, and if your right handed your using the left side of your brain more. I’ve took some written tests and it said that I’m left hemisphere dominant. I’m left handed dominant thou.
So my question is people who are cross dominant can they be using both sides of their brains more than a one sided dominant person. I’m guessing since i’m dominant right eyed and dominant right legged I favor the left side of the brain because I’m dominant one organ and one limb (majority rules). Since i’m left handed I have to be using the right side of my brain also, just maybe one hemisphere charateristics is more accessible than the other. (I’m really curious about this)
So how can it be true if your left handed and you use the right side of the brain? (is this an assumption that the individual is not cross dominant) So does cross dominant means cross dominant in the hemispheres of the brain? Maybe calling it middled brain or using both hemisperes in the brain. If this is true than that means cross dominant individuals would have characteristics of the left and right hemispheres in the brain.
That could be a plus if you look at it that way.
Have a good day,
Curtis Threats
I will have to conclude that being cross dominant is not a disorder, I believe it’s just another way of human diversity. It’s usually the majority that is all alike and is considered normal.
So keep your heads up on this one becaue your unique and different from the rest. Use it to your advantage.
Hello, My 7 year old son was just diagnosed as cross dominant. After reading your comments and doing some research, it is a relief to know that this condition is common. I’ve always noticed that my son was a deep thinker and that it takes him a second or two to switch to the next subject.
I checked out the website that Richard posted and I first saw the dancer turning clock-wise and then she switched and started turning counter clock-wise. Hmm, guess my son gets it from me, and that answers so many questions I’ve had not only about his thought process, but my own.
I would like to ask if you have any recommendations for learning more about cross dominance in children.
Thanks, and God bless us special thinkers!!
I just did that spinny woman test and I’m cross dominant. I saw it spinning clockwise for about ten seconds, then it switched and it just kept switching. I’m confused.
Background info: I’m fourteen and was 100% ambidextrous until the day I started school. Then, for some reason I stopped and now do dextrous activities with my left hand and those requiring power with my right.
Rachel: Well, school has a way of nudging people into right handedness. I’m a lefty but do a few things right handed but in my day (I’m a lot older than you) there were no left handed scissors or desks so life was tough.
And, handwriting… forget it. Mine sucks to this day.
Just do what feels comfortable for you and don’t worry about it, you’ll do fine using both sides of your brain.
Here’s an update for those of you who were looking at the spinning dancer.
The Truth About the Spinning Dancer
My son is 17 and uses his left hand for eating, writing and the right for sports etc. He is suffering from low self esteem and depression, i was told there is a program that can help with his cross dominant problem and increase his self-esteem due to the fact that he things he is dumb and can not think as fast as others or retain information and follow more that one or two instructions at a time. Any suggestions?
worry mom.
I just found out that my daughter may be cross dominant. She is in the first grade and really struggling with reading. She writes with her right hand but she is left eye dominant. Do you have any advice on what I can do to help her be a successful reader.
Angie
Teresa and Angie: I’m pretty sure that cross dominance or mixed dominance is one of many issues that can cause developmental delays but it in itself isn’t what’s causing the low self-esteem.
I’m primarily left handed but I do some things right handed as well and while being a lefty was a pain in school (scissors, desks, handwriting problems) it in itself wasn’t my problem. My problem was that I was slow to develop with lots of delays: reading, writing, some coordination problems and this led to social problems (less academic until later) that were the cause of my low self-esteem.
Kid culture at school can be cruel and anyone who is different for any reason can get singled out. I find it interesting that those of us who live through this can actually turn those problems into assets in that we do things differently from other people, which, in the right context is actually an asset, not a problem.
I’m not implying that kids have to wait until adulthood to leave stigma behind, but it’s tough to be different as a kid.
Handedness issues can also be developmental and can change as kids grow up and mature. Some kids who show mixed dominance can become left or right dominant over time. In ancient times (my parent’s generation) schools forced kids to switch to being right handed. That’s not done anymore as neurologists know that this stuff generally works itself out over time.
I should also say that I was premature and developmental lags are quite common in premies. Makes sense, I needed more time in the oven to get my handedness secure and out I came. So, I did it on the outside and it worked out.
My handwriting is still terrible but as long as I have a keyboard I’m fine.
I hope my random thoughts on this help in some way.
Thanks for you thoughts.
Angie
I find this all very interesting. I noticed that my son has incredibly poor fine motor skills so i started researching this. I myself, hit a ball right handed, throw right handed but fire a weapon ( was in the Army) left handed. I was told that as a preschooler I was forced to write with my right hand. Very interestingly, I watched the spinning lady link and could very easily make her switch direction just by blinking. I can make her go from one direction to the other in the course of a second or two.
My son is who Im concerned with. He has given us every sign that he is truly left handed. He throws and hits a ball left handed. His teacher says that he picks up a crayon and switches back and forth between hands. Im afraid that this is the reason why his fine motor skills are so bad. He is great with a computer mouse…but can not even draw a small semi straight line. I dont know what to do with him.
Anna: Does he use a mouse with his right or left hand?
I’m mostly left handed although do a few things right handed (very few). My handwriting has never improved much but I can type like the wind, the computer and keyboard and touch typing is the best thing that ever happened to me.
i have researched ‘handedness’ all of my life becuase of the strange ways i did things. I am 52 and cross-dominant. i write and eat left handed, do most things that require strength right handed, some things it doesn’t matter. I have researched this extensively over the years since i have an MS in counseling Psych with a concentration in Psych testing. i do know i am analytical to a fault, read very slow (with 100% comprehension) and have been tested with a high IQ (whatever an IQ measures) . but i still fit the behavioral criteria for mixed-dominance. The “mirror-writing” at a young age just for something to do is what got me started in my reasearch. it is interesting to know there are alot of us out there.
I now use mouse in left hand. Got RSI when working in computers with shaking thumb and index finger which occupational therapist was very interested in. Later asked how I was doing – told him I’d just changed hands! My Father was ambi-dextrous and whilst writing with my right hand – I feed using a fork in my left! but eat puddings and soup with right.
Feel very fortunate to have the option.
Steve: Yes, there are more of us out there. Not sure if it’s “a lot” but certainly you’re not alone.
I’m pretty much left handed although I think for a while when I was young I did some things with my right hand that I now do with my left. I’m not all that smart and read extremely slowly and I have very fragile comprehension but in spite of these things I’ve done pretty well with my life. I think some of us figure out what it is we have to do to get things done, even with handedness problems, and we work around the problems and get things done. In my experience, the people who plow through life making mistakes but also having successes are the ones who do best.
Brian: Nice to know that one could switch hands if need be. Not that I could do it but I’m delighted you did. I love that you use fork with left, spoon with right. Yes, you are fortunate to have been able to adapt to RSI, I’m really happy for you.
THE CROSS-DOMINANT
The Cross-Dominant is a hybrid of the Linear and Sparklebrain personalities. Cross-Dominants can use either side of their brain, and often use both sides at once. Their brain power is tremendous; when they focus on constructive tasks they can move mountains. Cross-Dominants have a “bigger vision†of what’s going on, like the view from a plane. It must have been a Cross-Dominant who invented computer chips and circuit boards – right after taking a cross-country flight. When a Cross-Dominant is disorganized, they feel like they’re at the end of a game of Crack the Whip. Their brains switch back and forth from detail to overview, from their own needs to other people’s needs, and from Project A to Project Z. With all of this going on they feel like they are hanging on for dear life. Famous Cross-Dominants include Leonardo DaVinci, Albert Einstein, Martha Stewart, Buckminster Fuller, Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Richard Feynmann, Oscar Wilde and George W. Bush.
Source: www.mizlizonbiz.com/52.html
I’ve been doing more research on Cross Dominance and ran across this article. So it seems I was right when I said we can acess both sides of the brain or even use both sides at once.
Im cross dominant and learn things rather quickly and also pick up on things, that are vague, quicker than a lot of people. Your problem with being “easily distracted” for a lack of a better phrase might not necessarily related to cross-dominance but rather ADD or ADHD. I was told that I display signs of ADD at times but can easily immerse myself into a subject to which it makes my oblivious to things that are happening around me, to a point. This drives my wife nuts because this gives me the ability not to answer her questions that I didnt hear, yet she is persistent in letting me know that she did ask one. I call it selective hearing, she calls it annoying.
hello everyone,
“shaunie :
hey there. this message is for “Richard†whom posted the
Right Brain v Left Brain link… that was an interesting post i would say… so what does it mean if you see it going clockwise and you can make it switch to go counter clockwise? just wondering”
“Richard:
Shaunie: I think it means you’re truly mixed dominant. I tried pretty hard but could not make it switch although I might just try again now…
Is there other evidence in your life that you’re cross dominant? Do you do some things right handed, some things left handed?”
For the first time i`d read those lines i misunderstood Shaunie said she only can see clockwise and can t switch to anti clockwise.then i tried and i too had kept seeing anticlockwise.but after reading it second time i understood that she sees anticlockwise as well as clockwise.then i gave a try and after few tries i started seeing it both clockwise and anticlockwise every blink.
i write right hand but use my left hand for many things and my left eye is my dominant eye.i can`t find out which one of my ears is dominant.anyone knows a test to find it out?
thanks!
Goekhan: I don’t know an “ear dominance” test but informally, which ear do you use for the telephone? Are you “cross eared” (can use the phone on either no matter what?).
I can say I use my left ear and when I switch to my right the sound is almost muffled. I wonder what might happen if I used my right ear more? Would it become stronger?
The ear question is a good one, thanks for asking it.
I’m cross dominant (L-Eye, R-Hand, R-Brain and L-Ear dominant). I just read about attempting to switch ears with the receiver… in order to “enhance phone recollection” When I normally use the phone, I hold it to my L-ear… (and into my R-brain receives it and has to translate to L-brain) … but that’s where it all goes haywire…. This article suggested “hold the phone to the R-ear so it goes directly into the L-Brain”.
My 7 yr old daughter is also cross-dominant, (SAME as mine) and I just had her at a developmental optician who “revealed” her C-Dominance issue and how the LDs she’s experiencing are all connected. Not truly dyslexic, because “mirror writing” only shows up on the 1 side of her brain, not both! That was Encouraging!
Hi there. I thought I’d make a comment on this page as I found it somewhat relevant. A friend of mine showed me a web-page on cross dominance and I believed that what was there fit me. I have a left hand preference along with eye and ear, but my right leg seems to be the dominant one. As far as I can tell from observation, my left hand seems to be adapted for fine motor movement and my right for gross motor movement. I still open doorknobs with any old hand, though
.
What has been said in several comments about those with cross dominance being somewhat slower on tasks and thinking more deeply, I don’t see as applying to me. While I do analyze things a lot, I’m also an extremely fast thinker. I find that usually I need to slow down for other people. I say this because I felt the need to offer a contrasting viewpoint.
I also thought that I might add that my learning preference seems to be somewhat osmotic. I’ll immerse myself in whatever material I’m focused on and usually I can pick things up almost subconsciously. Sort of just “glance and go.” Other than that, I don’t know how to explain it.
Thank you.
There’s a great book, “The Dominance Factor: How Knowing Your Dominant Eye, Ear, Brain, Hand, & Foot Can Improve Your Learning:” by Carla Hannaford. Talks about 32 dominance profiles and how we are born with a certain dominance and how important it is not to try to change it. Also talks about which senses shut down under stress for each profile. Fascinating. Should be required reading for all Teachers and Administrators.
After reading people’s comments in a forum on the spinning lady, I’ve found that there are a lot of people (maybe more than 50%) who can look at the spinning direction in both ways (clockwise and counter-clockwise), either voluntarily or with a little trick. If the population of the cross-dominance people is very small, I do not think that those people who can see both ways are cross-dominance. Hence, this observation leads to the following questions:
In addition to the dominant parts, can the human brain be trained to manipulate to do certain things, such as to see the spinning lady turning in both ways, to be ambi-dextrous? If the answer is yes, could the end result be viewed as a skill which in turn is considered as an advantage instead of a cross-dominance which has a more negative implication than positive?
Thank you for your opinion.
Kin
I can do just about anything with either hand. There really isn’t anything I’ve found that I can’t do with either hand or foot. If someone throws something, I’ll catch it with whichever hand is empty or closer. I really don’t have a dominant eye. Is that cross-dominant? Or just not-dominant?
Joy: I’d say that’s cross dominant. Are you sure there are no particular things that you do better with one side than the other?
i write with my left hand, my left ear and left eye are dominant. but when doing other activities, i noticed my right-side are dominant than my left-side.e.g i played badminton,strumming guitar,brushing my teeth and so on with my right hand. I went to my national service a year ago ive discovered a confusion in me, my left eyes are dominant, but i couldnt hold the rifles with my left hand, it felts so awkward so i cant aimed the target because of this confusion..but in education, im doing good, and quite fast in learning a new skill.so am i cross-dominant?
Beth: Yes, it sounds like you are cross dominant. Once you get all the various ways you do things worked out it would seem to me that this will work to your advantage. That may take some time so be patient and attempt to do things in the most comfortable way for yourself so as not to force either right or left handedness.
At first I was wondering why people kept referring to this as a disability until I figured out what website I was on.
I am right-handed and left-eyed, and I have a strong ability to draw portraits and still lifes, but am not creative enough to draw in an abstract way. I can only draw if the person or object I am drawing is oriented on my left side. I always thought of it in terms of cross-dominance (without researching it until just now): my creative right brain with its strong spatial skills interprets the information while my precise, logical left brain puts the image on the page with great detail.
I always thought of this as a gift–the thought never crossed my mind that it could be termed a disability; however, I definitely exhibit symptoms of ADD. Never knew there was a correlation.
I am also a quick thinker; I can put together puzzles like no other, and I almost always hit a baseball on the first pitch. I really feel that I am more gifted than disabled! Parents of children with this condition, take heart. And congratulations!
Penelope: I think the best way to think about things like this is the way you thought of it before coming to this web site (which is mine).
One person’s disability is another person’s gift. Or, “disability” is a relative term.
My daughter is seven and is right hand and left eye dominant. She has struggled somewhat in school. She mirror images all numbers, but she taught her self to read when she was very little. She has trouble positioning her self to write, and has poor spacing when she writes. She also can not copy from board to paper. Everyone said they couldn’t figure out why she could read, but could not write numbers…maybe it has something to do with the cross dominance?
Catherine, your daughter sounds similar to me, i’m very right handed but left eye dominant, i’m now 23 but as a kid i would write both numbers and letter round the wrong way, i have never been any good at maths, but i’m an excellent reader and was always above my age reading level. But i definitely agree that it is not a disability as i have just completed a degree.
Hi Catherine,
I too have a daughter who is almost seven years old and Right Dominant for everything accept for eye, she is left. I haven’t noticed any difficulties to date but am wondering if your understanding is that there will definitely be some difficulties at some point because of the mix? Thanks so much.
Marla
Marla: I wouldn’t worry about it until you see a problem. It’s quite possible that her mixed dominance won’t be an issue at all.
I’m right handed and left footed. A Dr. diagnosed me as dyslexic as a child citing my cross dominance as a manifestation of my condition (Not sure about that). Similar to other posters on this page I tend to read slowly but with a greater ability to retain and interpret data. With patience and practice learning disabilities can be overcome. My parents instilled a sense of unique significance in me because of my “disability” which helped define who I was and how hard I had to work to achieve.
Matt: I’m not sure learning disabilities can be “overcome” but I’m quite sure you can learn to work around them and compensate for them, which it seems you’ve done beautifully. Congratulations.
I was told in 5th grade that I was SEVERELY cross dominant, the worse this lady has ever seen in her whole life. I’m becoming more interested in everything about being cross dominant and wondering if it is a disability and if it is hereditary?
Torie: How does your cross dominance express itself? Are you left handed, mixed? Do you do things with each side of your body? Tell us more.
I’m not sure cross dominance is characterized as a disability and my guess is it’s not hereditary although handedness is so I’m not absolutely sure. I’ll be a bit of research would answer the hereditary question for you. Try wikipedia.
I am left handed but I do everything with my right hand and right foot. I write and eat with my left hand and do everything else with the right. When people give me let’s say a marker to write on the board I will grab it with my right hand, place it in my left hand, and then begin to write. My strong hand in piano is my right hand.
I also think of things differently than everyone else. When everyone is understanding things in class I am the only one who doesn’t get it, but when I completely understand things no one else does.
The lady that diagnosed me told me that both sides of my brain work completely equally.
Torie: Yes, that’s both a blessing and a curse. I don’t have the same situation, I’m left dominant but I can do various things right handed. How this affects my learning and memory I’m not sure and what the connection is to learning issues like dyslexia and ADHD is theorized but not know for sure.
Brain lateralization and hemispheric dominance is certainly involved in handedness and with language decoding and encoding problems. A number of neurologists were working to clarify the connection many years ago when I was doing research on this to figure out my own situation but I stopped doing research before I found out if they’d gotten to the bottom of it. They may well have as it’s been many years.
Do some research outside of this web site and you’ll no doubt get more information. If you’re of a mind, come on back and share it here.
Thanks.
Richard and all,
I’ve been following this discussion for some time and while I don’t have any learning disabilities, I’ve worked within the LD community for many years and am also fascinated by the seemingly vast array and subtle complexities of how people process and express information.
From a professional point of view, linking mixed dominance for example, with learning disabilities (such as dyslexia) has been theorized and examined for at least my adult professional life (30 years).
While it seems as though there’s never been much of anything proven in that area, researchers including Joe Galaburda have investigated the subjects (left-handedness, cross or mixed dominance) and sometimes found evidence to keep searching. But not much else.
There’s also been a history of marketing products and services to parents products that are built on pretty slim if any credible evidence with claims of rewiring brains.
When I was starting in the field in late 70′s there was and continues to be folks who focus on the supposed correlation between learning disabilities and difficulty “crossing the midline.”
Again, many claims, many dollars spent, little evidence that there’s much to clamor about.
I have to say however that as a clinician, I do occasionally work with a student whose learning struggles include great difficulty crossing one arm over the midline.
Interestingly, with practice it appears to get easier and easier. That helps with writing (forming letters) and may be a small ingredient in other learning improvements.
I can’t imagine that engaging in healthy activities (such as ice skating for one) involving working both sides of the body, or some types of drumming, isn’t a good thing, helpful on a few levels, with peoples’ overall learning.
I know this all isn’t exactly what this threads focused on but related enough I hope.
From a personal point of view, I’m interested in watching my own ways of handling things. I’ve always been and considered myself predominantly left-sided. Left-handed in most everything I do. Though I’ve learned that I’m right-eye dominant (I as a decent stickball player as a result), I’ve noticed that I actually and surprisingly am reliant on my weaker right hand for certain cleaning tasks in the shower (no details) and other odd situations (opening jars for example). I’m very comfortable now, and prefer using my right hand for my Macbook trackpad maneuvers. It’s almost as if (jars excepted) that I have unknowingly over time come to specialize my right hand for some precise movements. Less strength but more sensitive?
Odd, to me.
Maybe we’re all an odd collection of intricate and fascinating neuro-pathways.