Are left-handed people really more creative? Science reveals the truth.

Who's right? We know that the Florentine polymath Leonardo da Vinci , the Dutch artist known for his impossible prints, MC Escher, and the immortal guitarist Jimi Hendrix were all left-handed. These are just a few of the creative geniuses known for being left-handed, fueling the widely held belief that left-handed people are more creative. We associate left-handedness with intelligence, innovative thinking, and artistic talent. But what does science say about it?

Scientists have long investigated the peculiarities of left-handedness . Over the years, scientists have explored theories as diverse as they are controversial: from the relationship between left-handedness and mental disorders or weaker immune systems to possible links with criminal behavior. They have also analyzed whether left-handed people excel at problem-solving and whether, incredible as it may seem, they are more likely to live shorter lives.

According to new psychology research from Cornell University, the definitive answer to whether being left-handed actually makes you more creative is... no . It's not an easy question to answer, but overall, the data doesn't support a link between left-handedness and greater creativity , according to new research published in the journal Psychonomic Bulletin & Review .

“The data don't support any advantage in creative thinking for left-handed people. In fact, there's some evidence that right-handed people are more creative in some laboratory tests, and strong evidence that they're overrepresented in professions that require greater creativity,” explains Daniel Casasanto, associate professor of psychology in the School of Human Ecology, who, along with his team, conducted an exhaustive review of the scientific literature to test the myth associated with left-handed people.

placeholder — The myth of left-handedness falls (Pexels).

The myth of left-handedness falls (Pexels).

The authors conducted a meta-analysis covering nearly 1,000 scientific articles published since 1900. Most were excluded due to a lack of standardized data or a focus solely on right-handed people—a common practice to achieve homogeneous samples—leaving 17 studies with nearly 50 effect sizes. The results showed that handedness has almost no impact on the three most commonly used laboratory tests for assessing divergent thinking (the ability to explore multiple possible solutions to a problem in a short time and make unexpected connections); in fact, when differences arise, right-handed people typically show a slight advantage.

The claim, therefore, would be unfounded .

But aren't there more left-handed people among musicians and artists in general?

Well, certainly. The study concluded that left-handed people are overrepresented among artists and musicians, but not, for example, in other professions such as architects or physicists, which are also perceived as creative . And why does this idea persist? According to experts, the idea that left-handed people are creative geniuses stems from three myths: first, "left-handed exceptionalism," which associates the rarity of left-handedness with genius; second, the "tortured artist" figure, which links brilliance with mental disorders; and third, the tendency to cite small studies that find more left-handed people in artistic fields, while broad, representative research is forgotten.

This study doesn't, by any means, disprove the idea that many great artists were left-handed, but it does demonstrate that laterality alone doesn't predict who will excel in creative tasks or professions. It's a more complex matter, involving upbringing, personality, cognitive abilities, and even cultural opportunities.