The Myth of the Left-Brained and Right-Brained Person

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I love art. In all its different forms, from painting to dance, I enjoy expressing myself creatively as much as I can. On the other hand, I would say that I am a logical person. I enjoy logic puzzles and being analytical in general. I don't know about you, but I've taken so many different quizzes on the Internet trying to figure out if a right-brained person or a left-brained person. Some days I feel more right-brained and other days I feel more left-brained. But what does it mean to be a right-brained or a left-brained person? Can someone even be right-brained or left-brained?

The right hemisphere of the brain, or the right side of the brain, is associated with visual and intuitive skills. It specializes in helping with the arts, imagination, and holistic thinking. People who are "right-brained" seem to be more carefree and care more about the big picture rather than smaller details. When I envision "right-brained" people, I envision bright colors, paintbrushes, and whiteboards.

Now, we switch over to the other side of the brain. The left hemisphere of the brain, or the left side of the brain, is associated with logic and facts. It specializes in helping with math, sequences, and details. People who are "left-brained" seem to be more focused on smaller details and choose to view their world using logic as a lens. All I see when I envision "left-brained" people are computer screens with a bunch of green code, calculators, and darker hues of blue and green.

The big question is whether or not people have dominant brain hemispheres. Although I think it seems cool to be called either left-brained or right-brained, the truth is that isn't any evidence showing that this is the case. People can definitely be stronger in one type of thinking than another, no doubt. But both hemispheres of the brain have been shown to have the same level of activity. The different sides of the brain work together through millions and millions of neural connections. This allows us to process information and make decisions in a holistic way, using both our creative and logical abilities.

So, this myth remains a myth. Honestly, I'm not sure if there's any real benefit to being one type of brain-dominant over another. I think it's more important to be able to use both sides of your brain effectively. After all, the best thinkers are able to combine creativity and logic to come up with innovative solutions.

The next time you're feeling stuck on a problem, don't just rely on your left brain or your right brain. Use both sides of your brain to find a solution. You might be surprised at how quickly you find the answer.

Sources:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/right-brainleft-brain-right-2017082512222