How to tell which hand is dominant? A definitive guide

September 25, 2025 •

5 min read

While roughly 90% of the world's population is right-handed, many people are still uncertain about their own body's natural preference. This uncertainty often leads to asking: How to tell which hand is dominant? Fortunately, several simple tests can provide a definitive answer.

Quick Summary

Determining hand dominance can be done by observing which hand you instinctively use for tasks like writing, throwing, or catching. A variety of simple behavioral and motor skill tests can provide reliable indicators of your hand preference.

Key Points

Writing is a strong indicator: The hand you write with the most control and neatness is typically your dominant one.
Instinctive tests are revealing: Simple actions like throwing a ball or clasping your hands can quickly show which hand you favor.
Look at everyday habits: Notice which hand you use for routine tasks like eating, brushing your teeth, or using a computer mouse.
Mixed dominance is possible: It's common to use different hands for different tasks (e.g., writing vs. throwing), which is distinct from true ambidexterity.
Children develop dominance over time: It's normal for a child's hand preference to be inconsistent until around age 6.
The science is complex: Handedness is influenced by a combination of genetics and brain hemisphere dominance, with most people being right-handed.

Quick Self-Tests for Hand Dominance

Identifying your dominant hand is often a matter of noticing which hand you naturally gravitate towards for fine motor control tasks. These quick tests can help confirm your natural inclination.

The Writing Test

This is one of the most common and definitive tests. Your dominant hand is the one you were likely taught to write with and is most proficient at the task.

Take a pen and paper and write your name or a simple sentence with your right hand. Pay attention to the ease, neatness, and speed.
Repeat the same task using your left hand.
Compare the results. The hand that produces the clearer, faster, and more controlled handwriting is your dominant one. Even if you've been trained to write with one hand, your innate preference often shows itself in other activities.

The Throwing Test

Your dominant hand is typically the one you use for forceful or ballistic movements.

Have a friend toss a ball directly at your chest from a short distance.
Pay attention to which hand you use to instinctively catch it. Your dominant hand will often react first and with greater accuracy.

The Picking Up Test

Place an object directly in front of you and observe your natural response.

Place a common object, like a mug or a cell phone, on a table directly in front of your body's midline.
Without thinking, reach for and pick up the object.
Repeat this several times to avoid accidental bias. The hand you use most frequently is your likely dominant hand.

Observational Indicators in Daily Life

Hand dominance is not just for formal tasks; it reveals itself in a host of everyday actions.

Instinctive Reactions

Clapping hands: When you clap, which hand is naturally on top? Right-handed individuals typically place their right hand on top.
Folding arms: When you fold your arms across your chest, which forearm rests on top? For many people, the dominant arm will be the one on top.
Clasping hands: Clasp your hands together behind your back and observe which thumb is on top. This is another reflexive indicator of handedness.

Daily Habits

Using a mouse: Which hand do you use for your computer mouse?
Brushing teeth: Which hand holds your toothbrush?
Using utensils: Which hand holds your fork or spoon?
Opening jars: Which hand do you use for the twisting motion?

Understanding Mixed and Ambidextrous Dominance

Handedness is not always a simple right or left choice. Some individuals exhibit more complex patterns.

What is Mixed Dominance?

Also known as cross-dominance, this occurs when a person uses different hands for different tasks. For example, they might write with their right hand but throw a ball with their left. This can result from a less integrated connection between the brain's hemispheres and is distinct from being truly ambidextrous.

Ambidexterity vs. Mixed Dominance

True ambidexterity—the ability to use both hands with equal skill and speed—is rare, affecting less than 1% of the population. Mixed dominance, by contrast, is more common and suggests a lack of a strong overall side preference, not an equal mastery of both.

The Science Behind Handedness

What determines which hand you prefer? The answer lies in a complex interplay of genetics and neurological development.

Genetic predisposition: Research suggests handedness has a genetic component, though it's not determined by a single gene. While the gene for right-handedness is more common, other genes allow for a random outcome, leading to left-handedness.
Brain hemisphere dominance: The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body. Most right-handed people have a dominant left cerebral hemisphere, which also controls language functions. The inverse is often true for left-handed people, though it is more complex.
Neurological development: Hand preference develops in early childhood and is typically established by the age of 6. For some, this process results in a dominant hemisphere, while for others, the brain remains more balanced, potentially leading to mixed dominance.
Strength vs. skill: Your dominant hand may have more fine motor control, but not always more strength. Some right-handers can be stronger in their left hand, especially with physical training.

Hand Dominance in Children

Observing a child's hand preference is a gradual process. It is normal for children to switch hands frequently, especially before age 4. Consistency typically emerges between ages 4 and 6, but some kids take longer. Parents can encourage this development by placing toys and other objects at the child's midline to see which hand is chosen first.

Comparison of Hand Dominance Traits


Trait / Task	Dominant Hand	Non-Dominant Hand (The 'Helper' Hand)
Fine Motor Skills	Superior control, speed, and precision for tasks like writing and drawing.	Slower, less coordinated, and often clumsier for intricate tasks.
Gross Motor Skills	Better for forceful actions such as throwing, hammering, or kicking a ball.	Less powerful and accurate for high-force tasks.
Instinctive Reach	The first hand to reach for an object placed directly in front of you.	The second hand to be used, if at all, for picking up the object.
Stabilizing Objects	Used for the primary, more complex action (e.g., cutting paper with scissors).	Often used to stabilize the object being worked on (e.g., holding the paper still).
Reaction Time	Faster and more accurate for catching an object unexpectedly thrown your way.	Slower to react, with less precision in reflexive actions.

Conclusion

While the signs of hand dominance are often subtle, paying attention to your instinctive behaviors and performing simple self-tests can reveal your natural hand preference. Handedness is a fascinating reflection of neurological wiring, and understanding whether you are right-handed, left-handed, or have a more complex mixed-dominant profile can provide interesting insights into your own motor skills and brain function. For more detailed information on handedness research, one can explore scientific journals and trusted health resources like the National Institutes of Health. For example, this article from the NIH delves deeper into the scientific and physiological aspects of establishing hand preference. This increased self-awareness can be a useful tool for everything from sports performance to personal development, or simply to satisfy your curiosity about your own body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, this is known as mixed-handedness or cross-dominance. It's a relatively common pattern where an individual uses different hands for different tasks, such as writing with one hand and throwing with the other.

Ambidexterity is the rare ability to use both hands with near-equal skill and proficiency for a task. Mixed dominance means using different hands for different tasks, but not with equal skill.

While it's possible to train your non-dominant hand to become more skilled, your innate dominant hand is determined by neurological factors. Achieving true ambidexterity is very difficult, but you can certainly improve the dexterity of your 'helper' hand.

There is a connection between the dominance of your hand, eye, and foot. For instance, right-handed people are more likely to also be right-eyed. This is all part of a broader body laterality, though it's not always consistent.

Hand dominance typically starts to emerge around ages two to four but is usually not fully established until age six. It is normal for younger children to switch hands frequently as their motor skills develop.

In young children, hand-switching is a normal part of development. If a consistent preference has not appeared by age six, or if you notice other developmental concerns, it might be beneficial to consult with a doctor or occupational therapist.

Yes, research indicates that genetics play a significant role in determining handedness. While multiple genes are involved, studies show that children of left-handed parents are more likely to be left-handed themselves, though most children of left-handed parents are still right-handed.