Re-reading 'Body Language' by Julius Fast. The above exercise was mentioned as an example of a habitual gesture (as opposed to a conscious or sublimally communicative gesture); most people consistently end up with one but not the other thumb on top and find it very difficult to arrange their hand to suit the opposite. According to the author, doing the opposite of the usual will make most people feel very uncomfortable. Interestingly, I found this to be one of the few gestures which I have trouble replicating to the opposite hand; being ambidextrous usually means I am equally comfortable stepping first with either foot, writing or drawing with either hand, brushing my hair with either hand, etc. Changing this gesture caused me no discomfort, just a feeling of awkwardness in having to think specifically about arranging the fingers.

When I first visited her school, I asked the principal how the school handled left handed students. She said that they made the children shift hands so they would learn to do things correctly. She wasn't there long after this, not that I had anything to do with it. She just believed in doing everything the old-fashioned way. How it must have confused the children when they would not be allowed to do things the way nature intended.

Having to use my left hand so much at that age has made me somewhat ambidextrous.

In clasping my fingers, the left thumb went on top. Is this normal for right-handers?