❏This vs That ❐: Left Brain vs Right Brain

Welcome to Thursday's

Left Brain vs Right Brain

I'm sure as you all know by now that experiments have shown that the two different sides, or hemispheres, of the brain are responsible for different manners of thinking.  Have you ever heard people say that they tend to be more of a right-brain or left-brain ...  Maybe you've even taken an online test to see (I know I did and you can see the results below.  Let's just say I'm no rocket scientist!) 

What Is Left Brain - Right Brain Theory?
According to the theory of left-brain or right-brain dominance, each side of the brain controls different types of thinking. Additionally, people are said to prefer one type of thinking over the other. For example, a person who is "left-brained" is often said to be more logical, analytical and objective, while a person who is "right-brained" is said to be more intuitive, thoughtful and subjective.

The right brain-left brain theory grew out of the work of Roger W. Sperry, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1981. While studying the effects of epilepsy, Sperry discovered that cutting the corpus collosum (the structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain) could reduce or eliminate seizures.

However, these patients also experienced other symptoms after the communication pathway between the two sides of the brain was cut. For example, many split-brain patients found themselves unable to name objects that were processed by the right side of the brain, but were able to name objects that were processed by the left-side of the brain. Based on this information, Sperry suggested that language was controlled by the left-side of the brain.

Later research has shown that the brain is not nearly as dichotomous as once thought. For example, recent research has shown that abilities in subjects such as math are actually strongest when both halves of the brain work together.

Come back and check out this fascinating video below about the man with '2-brains', when you have more time...

The brain is composed of two hemispheres, known as the left and right hemisphere. While each hemisphere has unique functions, which one side performs and the other does not, both hemispheres possess the ability to analyze sensory data, perform memory functions, learn new information, form thoughts, and make decisions.

The way you use these abilities determines a large part of your personality and behavior. By the time we, as humans, are two years old, one hemisphere begins to dominate your decision-making process. Communication between the two halves is possible due to the corpus callosum and this process continues to improve until the age of 15.

The Left Hemisphere

The left hemisphere specializes in analytical thought. It is responsible for dealing with "hard" facts such as abstractions, structure, discipline, rules, time sequences, mathematics, categorizing, logic, rationality, and deductive reasoning. It is also responsible for details, knowledge, definitions, planning, goals, words, productivity, efficiency, science, technology, stability, extraversion, physical activity, and the right side of the body. Left hemisphere ability is the predominant focus in school and society.

The Right Hemisphere

The right hemisphere specializes in "softer" aspects than the left hemisphere. The right hemisphere is responsible for intuition, feelings, sensitivity, emotions, daydreaming, visualizing, creativity, color, spatial awareness, and first impressions. It is also responsible for rhythm, spontaneity, impulsiveness, the physical senses, risk-taking, flexibility and variety, learning by experience, relationships, mysticism, play and sports, introversion, humor, motor skills, and the left side of the body (the old belief that left-handed people are more creative does hold some scientific credence). The right hemisphere also has a holistic method of perception that is able to recognize patterns and similarities and combines those elements into new forms.

Well I was curious to see which side of my brain I used the most so I did a couple of tests:

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (8) Right Brain Dominance: (12) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

I didn't really believe this one so I did another, lol and the results were as follows:

So I guess its unanimous - I'm "right-brained".. and I sure aint no Einstein or will I ever be, but at least I'm creative (tell  me something I don't already know).

You can take the test here.

Conclusion
The Right Brain
So, according to the left-brain, right-brain dominance theory, the right side of the brain is best at expressive and creative tasks such as:

• Recognizing faces
• Expressing emotions
• Music
• Reading emotions
• Color
• Images
• Intuition
• Creativity

The Left Brain
The left-side of the brain on the other hand, is considered to be adept at tasks that involve logic, language and analytical thinking.  The left-brain is often described as being better at:

• Language
• Logic
• Critical thinking
• Numbers
• Reasoning

So while often over-generalized and overstated by popular psychology and self-help texts, understanding which side of your brain is more dominant (if any),  means understanding your strengths and weaknesses in certain areas which in turn can aide you in developing better ways to learn and study.  For example, students who have a difficult time following verbal instructions (often cited as a right-brain characteristic) can benefit from writing down directions and developing better organizational skills.

Ok all you 'smarty-pants', left-brained people.  Here's a quiz for you!  Try to answer The World's Hardest Riddle... before they reveal it!  No cheating!

Resource(s):
wikipedia, about.com by Kendra Cherry, wherecreativitygoestoschool.com,