Left Brain vs. Right Brain Domain: The Amazing Truth

Have you ever heard people say that they tend to be more a thinker of the right brain or the left brain? From books to television shows, you have probably heard the phrase mentioned on numerous occasions or perhaps even performed an online test to determine which type best describes you. You've probably seen at least some infographics on Pinterest or Facebook that claim to reveal your dominant cerebral hemisphere.
You have probably also found some articles or books that suggest that you can unleash the hidden creativity of right brain thinking or the deductive logic of left brain thinking.
People described as left-brain thinkers are told they have strong mathematical and logical skills. Those who describe themselves as right brain thinkers, on the other hand, are told that their talents are more on the creative side of things. Given the popularity of the idea of "right brain" and "left brain" thinkers, it might surprise you to know that this idea is just one of the many myths about the brain.
What is the left-right brain theory of the brain?
According to the left or right brain domain theory, each side of the brain controls different types of thinking. In addition, it is said that people prefer one type of thinking over the other.
For example, it is often said that a person with "left brain" is more logical, analytical and objective. It is said that a person who has "right brain" is more intuitive, thoughtful and subjective.
In psychology, the theory is based on the lateralization of brain function. The brain contains two hemispheres that each performs a series of roles. The two sides of the brain communicate with each other through the corpus callosum.
The left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body, while the right hemisphere controls those on the left side. That is why damage to the left side of the brain, for example, could have an effect on the right side of the body.
Where did the idea of a stronger left or right brain come from?
So, does one side of the brain control specific functions? Do people have left or right brain? Like many popular myths of psychology, it emerged from observations of the human brain that were then dramatically distorted and exaggerated.
The right brain-left brain theory originated in the work of Roger W. Sperry, who received the Nobel Prize in 1981, He studied the functioning of the brain in patients who had their corpus callosum (the structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain) surgically. Cut to treat refractory epilepsy.
However, these patients also experienced other symptoms after the communication path between the two sides of the brain was cut. For example, many patients with a divided brain found themselves unable to name objects that were processed on the right side of the brain but could name objects that were processed on the left side of the brain. Based on this information, Sperry suggested that language was controlled by the left side of the brain.
In general terms, the left side of the brain tends to control many aspects of language and logic, while the right side tends to handle spatial information and visual understanding.
So, is one side of your brain really stronger than the other?
Subsequent research has shown that the brain is not as dichotomous as previously thought. For example, research has shown that skills in subjects such as mathematics are stronger when both halves of the brain work together. Today, neuroscientists know that the two sides of the brain collaborate to perform a wide variety of tasks and that the two hemispheres communicate through the corpus callosum.
"However, no matter how lateralized the brain may be, the two sides still work together," said scientific writer Carl Zimmer in an article for Discover magazine.
"The notion of pop psychology of a left brain and a right brain does not capture their intimate working relationship. The left hemisphere specializes in selecting the sounds that form words and solving the syntax of the phrase, for example, but does not have a monopoly of language processing. The right hemisphere is more sensitive to the emotional characteristics of language, tuning in with the slow rhythms of speech that entail intonation and stress. "
In a study by researchers at the University of Utah, their brains were analyzed for more than 1,000 participants to determine if they preferred to use one side over the other. The study revealed that, although the activity was sometimes higher in certain critical regions, both sides of the brain were essentially equal in their activity on average.

By: Preeti Narula
Content: https://www.verywellmind.com/left-brain-vs-right-brain-2795005