ABSTRACT

The 9 month study was designed to ascertain the incidence and gender distribution of ambidexterity skills among the Igbos. Observations, verbal interviews, questionnaires and tests of motor skills of the hands constitute the research instruments used in the study. In general, about 1.72% of the populations studied were ambidextrous. That is, having the ability to use both limbs (the hands in this case) to execute actions in equal capacity. The results of the study also revealed that females are more likely to be ambidextrous (1.8%) than the males (1.63%). Parental, societal and cultural pressures executed on people who were original left handed accounted for the relatively higher percentage of ambidexterity among the Igbos. Interestingly, most of the people with ambidexterity skills were originally or naturally left handed. Early injury to the right hand (for the originally right handed people) played the least role in converting an individual from right hand dominance to ambidextrousness.

Key words: Ambidexterity, Handedness, Hand-dominance, Ambidextrous, Igbos.