Is Left-Handedness Associated With Greater Success From the 7-Meter Line? An Analysis of 7-Meter Records Across Various Handball CompetitionsShow others and affiliations
2024 (English)In: Perceptual and Motor Skills, ISSN 0031-5125, E-ISSN 1558-688X, Vol. 131, no 5, p. 1743-1754Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
While left-handers have been overrepresented among 7-meter shooters in handball, previous investigators have not found success from the 7-meter line to be related to handedness. Drawing on previous handedness research in sport, we performed two studies to examine possible negative frequency-dependent advantages to left-handedness during 7-meter throws among elite players. In Study I, we analyzed the records of 974 7-meter shooters from Danish and Norwegian elite divisions (485 males and 489 females) and found that left-handed males were overrepresented compared to the prevalence of left-handers in these two leagues, but left-handed females were not. An analysis of covariance showed no statistically significant associations between throwing arm or sex, and success from the 7-meter line. In Study II, we analyzed the records of 899 7-meter shooters at 41 major championships for both males and females between 2007-2023 (442 males and 457 females). We again found left-handed males to be overrepresented compared to their prevalence at the championships, but left-handed females were not. Also, in alignment with Study I, an analysis of covariance found no associations between throwing arm or sex, and success from 7-meter throws. These findings further underline the complexities associated with lateral biases in sports, where there appear to be benefits for left-handed males in the selection process that are not evident during performance execution. © The Author(s) 2024.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2024. Vol. 131, no 5, p. 1743-1754
Keywords [en]
handball, laterality, negative frequency-dependent advantage, penalty throws
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-54493DOI: 10.1177/00315125241272503ISI: 001290587100001PubMedID: 39129476Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85201158483OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hh-54493DiVA, id: diva2:1892289
2024-08-262024-08-262025-10-01Bibliographically approved