Kin selection as a modulator of human handedness: sex-specific, parental and parent-of-origin effects.

ABSTRACT: The frequency of left-handedness in humans is ~10% worldwide and slightly higher in males than females. Twin and family studies estimate the heritability of human handedness at around 25%. The low but substantial frequency of left-handedness has been suggested to imply negative frequency-dependent selection, e.g. owing to a 'surprise' advantage of left-handers in combat against opponents more used to fighting right-handers. Because such game-theoretic hypotheses involve social interaction, here we perform an analysis of the evolution of handedness based on kin-selection, which is understood to play a major role in the evolution of social behaviour generally. We show that: (1) relatedness modulates the balance of right-handedness vs. left-handedness, according to whether left-handedness is

SUBMITTER: Dong B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11418076 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature