Are you a left brain or right brain thinker?

It is believed that the left brain and the right brain control a person's aptitude, personality, and behavior. Those who are left-brain dominant tend to have numeracy, logic, or critical thinking abilities, whereas those who are right-brain dominant tend to have creative talent, diplomacy, or imagination. Actually, is this belief true or not? Despite the fact that different hemispheres of the brain perform different functions, both hemispheres of the brain work in harmony as a whole.

How does the brain function?

Brain is a complex organ that connects the functions of various body’s systems including senses, breathing, vision, memory, perception, thoughts, hunger, body temperature regulation, and bodily response. Within the brain, there are 3 main types of neurons that perform different functions including sensory neurons, motor neurons, and associated neurons (interneurons). The three types of neurons are responsible for receiving, processing, and interpreting what is touched or seen, and then transmitting information to the central nervous system (CNS) and spinal cord via the stimulation and induction of electrical waves and body chemicals to a network of neurons linking throughout the body to respond to the stimuli.

How many parts of the brain?

Brain is divided into three parts, each of which contains more than 100 billion neurons and is linked by over 100 trillion neuronal connections that connect, receive information, and transmit signals from external stimuli to internal sensory neurons for processing. Each part of the brain performs the following functions:

1. Cerebrum is the largest part of the brain (Cerebral hemisphere) and is located in the top front part of the skull. Cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres, the left cerebral hemisphere, and the right cerebral hemisphere, which process information received from the senses of perception, including form, taste, smell, sound, emotion, logic, and learning, which are all the starting points of the human mind's thought process, sequencing ideas and leading to action.
2. Cerebellum is located at the back of the skull, above and behind the portion of the spinal cord that controls balance, muscle movement, breathing, digestion, and swallowing by receiving commands from motor neurons and transmitting them to various parts of the body.
3. Brainstem is a stalk-like structure at the bottom of the brain that connects all parts of the brain to the spinal cord. The brainstem sends perception signals and commands various organs of the body to function, including breathing, body temperature, heart rate, reflexes, sleep-wake cycle and the subconscious mind.

What is the left brain and the right brain theory?

The left-brain and right-brain theory was developed by neuroscientist Roger W. Sperry, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1981 for discovering the theory that the brain's two hemispheres function differently in terms of learning, functioning, and controlling parts of the body. According to the theory, the left and right hemispheres of the brain control the body's organs alternately (bilaterally symmetric). The left brain controls the movements of the right side of the body, whereas the right brain controls the movements of the left side of the body. Both hemispheres of the brain also determine characteristics, specific aptitudes, thoughts, and overall personal behavior.

Are the left brain and the right working independently?

The brain's left and right hemispheres each have six lobes, with each hemisphere having both joint and separate parts but not completely independent from the other. Both hemispheres of the brain collaborate and communicate with one another via a section of nerve fibers known as the “Corpus callosum”. If one of the hemispheres is injured, the other hemisphere can function normally without relying on communication from the injured hemisphere.

How do the left brain and the right brain function?

According to Dr. Sperry's Theory of Brain Function, the left hemisphere, and the right hemisphere control different organs of the body, including determining individual aptitude, thinking, and behavior. The following are traits of the two hemispheres of the brain:

Left brain

The left hemisphere of the brain receives information and controls language, word processing, sentence construction, and the choice of words in communication, logic, number, science, analytical thinking, and reasoning, as well as skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The left hemisphere controls the functions of the right hand and the right side of the body. The left hemisphere's traits are as follows:

• Logic
• Fact
• Analytical thinking
• Logical thinking, reasoning
• Sequencing of Ideas
• Word selection and speech
• Mathematics, numbers, and computations
• Science
• Strategy
• Problem-solving

Right brain

The right hemisphere of the brain controls spatial ability, stereoscopic visualization, image processing, idea sequencing, creativity, art, imagination, face recognition, musical aesthetics, communication context, body language, and social clue interpretation. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the functions of the left hand and the left side of the body. The right hemisphere's traits are as follows:

• Memory
• Creativity
• Imagination
• Holistic thinking, big-picture thinking
• Instinct and intuition
• Common sense
• Art
• Music, rhythm
• Body language perception
• Symbol recognition
• Visual processing
• Emotional response

What are the facts about the left brain and the right brain theory?

According to the research reports of more than 1,000 participants, regardless of personality or individual preferences, scanning the brain in more than 7,000 different positions revealed that all participants used both the left and right sides of the brain in equal proportions. The research revealed some participants are more adept at creative tasks, while others are more adept at analytical tasks. This is not because one hemisphere of the brain is superior or inferior, but rather because of everyday work skills that make a person more proficient in that skill than in others. If a person is trained in skills that they lack, their brain will eventually be stimulated to learn and become proficient in those skills.

How can we sharpen the left brain and the right brain?

It is normal for a person to have some superior skills while others are inferior. In fact, a person can practice an inferior skill to become skilled by consistently practicing the unskilled to stimulate the brain to gradually learn and become proficient in that skill. The following are some examples of brain training methods:

• Never stop learning; be a lifelong learner
• Develop the habit of being a reader and practice listening, speaking, and writing skills.
• Attending new classes to sharpen the other side of the brain—for example, if someone is good with numbers, consider taking an art or music class.
• Try crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, and spelling bees.
• Play memory games, board games, card games, or online games.
• Learn new problem-solving techniques or discover new ways to work more productively.
• Practice remembering specific details.
• Teach others the skills you are good at
• Practice public speaking.
• Social interactions
• Practice your math skills or quick calculations
• Sign up for a new language class
• Participate in a dance class
• Take a music class
• Practice meditation

Can we stimulate the left brains and the right brain learning development?

The left brain and the right brain can be stimulated for learning development in the following ways:

• Practice thinking and learning skills on a regular basis.
• Practice socialization and idea exchange with others.
• Consume nutritious foods.
• Avoid eating high-fat foods.
• Avoid heavy alcohol consumption, smoking, and the use of narcotic drugs.
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep and rest.
• Avoid stress and know how to relax

Left Brain and Right Brain Concurrent Development, Striving for Excellence

Even though the left brain and the right brain determine aptitude and control organs differently, the two hemispheres work in close collaboration harmoniously. If a skilled physicist lacked imagination, that hypothesis would not be able to succeed. Similarly, if a talented designer is full of imagination but not realistic, what is designed will not be able to be built as well.

A person's excellence is not dependent on the superior performance of any one hemisphere. It is the synergistic functions of the two hemispheres that will help push the person's capabilities to the limit. Therefore, the left brain and the right brain should be developed concurrently to promote the well-rounded development of the person and achieve individual peak performance.