Right Brain and Left Brain

The concept of right brain and left brain thinking developed from the
research in the late 1960s of an American psychobiologist Roger W Sperry.
He discovered that the human brain has two very different ways of thinking.
One (the right brain) is visual and processes information in an intuitive and
simultaneous way, looking first at the whole picture then the details. The
other (the left brain) is verbal and processes information in an analytical
and sequential way, looking first at the pieces then putting them together to
get the whole. Sperry was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1981, although
subsequent research has show things aren't quite as polarized as once
thought (nor as simple).

Right Brain: The right brain controls the artistic abilities of a person. A
person with a predominant right brain over the left brain will be more
artistic, creative and spontaneous.
Left Brain: On the other hand, a person with a more active left brain as
compared to the right brain will be more logical, precise, analytical and
controlled.

Right Brain and Left Brain Inventory

While we have a natural tendency towards one way of thinking, the two
sides of our brain work together in our everyday lives. The right brain of the
brain focuses on the visual, and processes information in an intuitive and
simultaneous way, looking first at the whole picture then the details. The
focus of the left brain is verbal, processing information in an analytical and
sequential way, looking first at the pieces then putting them together to get
the whole.
Right Brain Inventory

Left Brain Inventory

Visual, focusing on images,

patterns

Verbal, focusing on words,

symbols, numbers

Intuitive, led by feelings

Analytical, led by logic

Process ideas simultaneously

Process ideas sequentially,

step by step

'Mind photos' used to

Words used to remember
remember things, writing things things, remember names rather
down or illustrating them helps than faces
you remember
Make lateral connections from Make logical deductions from
information
information
See the whole first, then the
details

Work up to the whole step by

step, focusing on details,
information organised

Organisation ends to be
lacking
Highly organised
Free association

Like making lists and planning

Like to know why you're doing Likely to follow rules without

something or why rules exist
questioning them
(reasons)
No sense of time

Good at keeping track of time

May have trouble with spelling Spelling and mathematical

and finding words to express
formula easily memorised
yourself
Enjoy touching and feeling
actual objects (sensory input)

Enjoy observing

Trouble prioritising, so often

late, impulsive

Plan ahead

Unlikely to read instruction

manual before trying

Likely read an instruction

manual before trying

Listen to how something is

being said

 Listen to what is being said

Talk with your hands
Rarely use gestures when
talking
Likely to think you're naturally
creative, but need to apply
yourself to develop your
potential
Likely to believe you're not
creative, need to be willing to
try and take risks to develop
your potential

Is it Better to be Right Brained than Left Brained?

Though right-brain or non-verbal thinking is often regarded as more

'creative', there is no right or wrong here; it's merely two different ways of
thinking. One is not better than the other, just as being right-handed is not
'superior' to being left-handed. What's important is to be aware that there
are different ways of thinking, knowing what your natural preference is, and
if it's strongly verbal (left brain) rather than visual (right brain) being open
to trying new approaches which deliberately approach painting or drawing
in a right-brain way.