Are You Right Brained or Left Brained?

Are You Left Brained or Right Brained?

When you hear mention of the term “Right Brain – Left Brain,” you may have some idea of what it means in defining your nature but you may still have some curiosity about it and want to learn more. This article will list the dominant characteristics of both right and left brain characteristics, and you will, no doubt, find some of the true you on both ends of the spectrum.

 

The human brain is divided into two different hemispheres – one on the right and one on the left. The right and left brains have different ways in processing, and in all of us both sides are working in tandem to help you view the world and make sense of the things you encounter everyday.

Are You Right Brained or Left Brained Quiz

(Left Brain vs Right Brain)

Some people are primarily right-brained (meaning they use the right side of their brain more) while others are primarily left-brained. Each individual will fall into a different place on the spectrum.

While some people are sharply disposed to one or the other hemisphere, others have a fairly equal balance of the two. The truth of the matter is that everyone must use both sides of their brain and the two sides are dependent on each other for best thinking and mental processing.

With that said, understanding whether you are left or right brain dominant may help you understand how you process better as well as understand the people around you.

The Left Brain

The left brain is generally characterized by verbal skills and analytical thinking. One in left brain mode will be inclined to be mentally sequencing pieces or events, and based upon the individual pieces, gain some understanding of the whole. This is directly opposed to the right brain process which perceives more globally, viewing the whole first through visual images and intuition, to then gain insight to the minute details later.

One way to illustrate this is in how we give directions to a specific location. If someone instructs you to go east for 2.3 miles on Hwy 30, then go south onto Sycamore St. for 3 blocks, then finally turning west on Church St. stopping at the second house on the left. This is a clearly left brained individual speaking, which will be great for a left brain recipient.

Left-brained people are said to be more “rational” and “sequential.”

These are some features of a left-brained person:

• Responds to verbal instructions.
• Problem solves by logically and sequentially looking at the parts of things.
• Looks at differences.
• Is planned and structured.
• Prefers established, certain information.
• Prefers talking and writing.
• Prefers multiple choice tests.
• Controls feelings.
• Prefers ranked authority structures.
• Is a splitter: distinction important.
• Is logical, sees cause and effect.

The Right Brain

A right-brained person is likely to tell you to “follow highway 30 past the little shopping center and mini-mart on your right, and go through 2 traffic lights. When you see a yellow brick office building on the left, that is Sycamore, about 2 and ½ miles, I think. Turn right there and follow for a couple blocks until you see a gas station with a blue and white sign with red letters. Turn left there, that’s Church Street and it is the second house on the left, yellow with white shutters.” If you are right-brained, you will appreciate these visual images that can guide your trip.

Right brain dominant people are said to be more “intuitive” and “simultaneous.”

• Responds to demonstrated instructions.
• Problem solves with hunches, looking for patterns and configurations.
• Looks at similarities.
• Is fluid and spontaneous.
• Prefers elusive, uncertain information.
• Prefers drawing and manipulating objects.
• Prefers open ended questions.
• Free with feelings.
• Prefers collegial authority structures.
• Is a lumper: connectedness important.
• Is analogic, sees correspondences, resemblances.

 

*The Advantage

The advantage in knowing which brain hemisphere is dominant in you will enable you to develop some of the processing styles that are weaker. We don’t need to feel inferior, of course.

There are great qualities to be seen in the dominance of either the right or left brain. But knowing that there are activities a person can do to train the hemisphere that is less developed can make your life experiences a little easier to navigate.

We can credit these insights on the distinctive differences in the brain hemisphere to the research of psychobiologist Dr. Roger Sperry who conducted extensive research on the 1960’s and was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1981 for his findings. It now can assist us not only in knowing our weaker areas to develop, but to even see where our career strength may lie, and that is what is most important.