You probably haven’t ever given it much thought, but virtually everyone cradles a baby in one precise arm. The majority of individuals always cradle a baby in the crook of their left arm, a phenomenon established by several studies and represented in art, such as the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. Scientists propose this favoritism might be related to hearing the heartbeat, processing feelings, or merely keeping the dominant arm free for other responsibilities.
Scientists have been trying to clarify this phenomenon, says Audrey van der Meer, a lecturer of neuropsychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU’s) Department of Psychology.
It is certainly a phenomenon and numerous studies confirm it; the majority of individuals favor cradling a baby in the crook of their left arm. Artists have also observed this.
The Virgin Mary is typically portrayed cradling baby Jesus in the crook of her left arm, says Professor van der Meer.
The professor has formerly studied the phenomenon and has now examined it in more detail in an assessment article that comprises the latest experiential data and meta-analyses in the field. This work was issued in Infancy, an academic journal.
When van der Meer and Åsmund Husby collaborated a few years ago, Husby was a psychology student. He wrote an experimental bachelor’s proposition on the phenomenon under van der Meer’s direction.
During that year, Husby was one of 35 undergraduate students who composed cradling statistics from family and friends, kindergartens, schools, and sports clubs. Everybody had to complete the doll test on 20 people, and at least 5 of these had to be left-handed.
They tested 765 people aged 4-86. These individuals were requested to cradle a doll in the crook of one arm. The scientists found that 567 of these (75 percent) cradled the doll in the crook of their non-dominant arm. They tested the subjects’ handedness using a constant scale.
One concept is that most individuals cradle a baby to the left so that it can hear their heartbeat. Individuals the heart is situated on the left. Can the sound of a heartbeat calm a baby or link it more closely to an adult?
Or perhaps it has something to do with hearing? Humans frequently distinguish information in the form of sound quicker with their left ear than their right. The concept is that most individuals cradle a baby to the left because we then practice our left ear and eye to get evidence about the baby’s emotional state. Indications from the left are sent to the right hemisphere of the brain, which is dedicated to understanding emotions and faces.
However, maybe the most spontaneous explanation is also the most correct.
A few years ago, van der Meer issued an empirical study collaborating with scientist Åsmund Husby. This philosophy holds that the phenomenon is closely associated with the arm we use the most.
Remarkably, this has not been viewed as a satisfactory explanation, even though it naturally seems logical, says Professor van der Meer.
New conclusions have supported this theory.
Nine out of 10 individuals in the world are right-handed. We still believe that this is the best clarification of why the vast majority of individuals cradle babies in the crook of their left, non-dominant arm, says van der Meer.
We frequently do something different while holding a baby, not just posturing for a picture or showing it off. So, we do what is most appropriate.
Most cradle a baby to the left to have their right hand free. Generally speaking, it is natural for left-handed individuals to cradle a baby in the crook of their right arm.
It is possibly interesting to indicate that there are numerous images of William, the Prince of Wales, cradling a baby in the crook of his right arm. He is left-handed, says Professor van der Meer.
However, right-handed Kate, the Princess of Wales, cradles babies in her left arm, like most of us.
This does not indicate that van der Meer uses royal favorites as proof of the phenomenon. Instead, she has taken other concepts into account and focused on the experiential data, and her assumptions are clear.
The clarification that we cradle babies in the arm we use the least is also correct if other influences are taken into account, says van der Meer.
However, the phenomenon relates only to babies. As children get bigger and heavier, most individuals tend to carry them using their dominant and stronger arm.
