Linked Life Data

15875566

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/15875566

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1558
pubmed:dateCreated
2005-5-6
pubmed:abstractText
Humans exhibit hand preference for most manual activities in which they are specialized. Right- and left-handers have coexisted at least since the Upper Palaeolithic, and left-handers are in the minority in all human populations. The persistence of the polymorphism of handedness is a puzzle because this trait is substantially heritable and several fitness costs are associated with left-handedness. Some countervailing benefit is required to maintain the polymorphism. Left-handers may have a frequency-dependent advantage in fights--the advantage being greater when their frequency is lower. Sports data from Western societies are consistent with this prediction. Here, we show that the frequency of left-handers is strongly and positively correlated with the rate of homicides across traditional societies. It ranges from 3% in the most pacifistic societies, to 27% in the most violent and warlike. This finding is consistent with a frequency-dependent selection mechanism maintaining left-handedness in these societies.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-10717769, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-10939080, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-11774074, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-15382729, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-15513117, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-1738466, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-1946868, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-2006231, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-335510, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-7430568, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-8350033, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/commentcorrection/15875566-9034037
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0962-8452
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
7
pubmed:volume
272
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
25-8
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-11-19
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2005
pubmed:articleTitle
Handedness, homicide and negative frequency-dependent selection.
pubmed:affiliation
Genetics of Adaptation, Institute of Evolutionary Sciences (UMR CNRS 5554), University Montpellier II, CC 065, 34095 Montpellier 5, France. faurie@isem.univ-montp2.fr
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't