Throughout the ages, people have been curious why we all think and learn differently. One theory that has come about is that of left brain or right brain dominance. It is thought that the different hemispheres of the brain serve different functions and if one hemisphere is dominant over the other in an individual; the individuals thinking and learning is stronger in the areas that hemisphere controls. Although this theory has been in use for many years, scientists are still testing the theory. Educators are also using this theory to learn how to teach students that have different learning styles and learning disabilities. This information has been compiled to inform and allow individuals to make their own assertion of whether or not left brain or right brain dominance determines how we learn. The theory of left brain or right brain dominance was introduced by Roger Sperry in the 1960’s (Salem, 1994). Sperry began researching the corpus callsum, the connecting tissue for the hemispheres of the brain, to discover its function (Salem, 1994). He experimented on a cat with a severed corpus callsum to see what affects it may have on the cat’s memory (Salem, 1994). Sperry found that if he taught the cat a simple task, while only the cats left eye was open, the cat couldn’t complete the task when only it’s right eye was open (Salem, 1994). This would prove that if the brain is no longer connected by the corpus callsum, then information is no longer transferred from on hemisphere to the other, and therefore the two halves could work independently (Salem, 1994). Experiments were later performed on humans in whom the corpus callsum was previously severed to control seizures (Salem, 1994). The experiment was conducted i... ... middle of paper ... ...erry, K. (2005). Left brain vs right brain – Understanding the myth and reality of left brain and right brain dominance. About.com psychology. 27 December, 2013. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/left-brain-right-brain.htm McMahon, J., Perrelli, J. (2001). What’s your brain dominance?. Towson University CIAT – Multimedia Services. Retrieved from http://www.oercommons.org/courses/learning- styles-left-or-right-brain-dominance/view Morton, B. (2012). Left and right brain-oriented hemisity subjects show opposite behavioral preferences. Frontiers in Physiology, 3, 1-12. doi : 10.3389/fphys.2012.00407 Salem Press. (1994). Great Scientific Achievements Vol 7. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press Pritchard, A. (2009). Ways of Learning - Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom. London, GBR. David Fulton Publishers.
First, in the magazine article “Brainology,” Carol S. Dweck asserted that the way that students learn and how well they do in school
The author explains that in many businesses, abilities associated with the left side of the brain used to matter the most. These include lin...
“‘Sinister Children’” was the title psychologist Theodore Blau gave to left-handed children in the late seventies, due to their over abundance “among the academically and behaviorally challenged” and their greater vulnerability to obtaining mental diseases later in life (1). This condescending view on the left-handed population has existed for centuries. The word sinister itself comes from the Latin word sinistra, meaning left hand. In the article “Sinister Minds: Are Left-Handed People Smarter?,” written by Maria Konnikova, a psychologist from Columbia University, she explains how these outdated theories about the intellect of the left-handed community are wrong. In fact, the author elaborates how left-handed people may have higher brain abilities compared to the general population due to the
hemispheres of the brain in which he stated that " . . . left - hemisphere style
“Right-brained” or “left-brained” is a concept that has been manipulated by the media, it’s not supported by solid science. The myth of a “right-brain” person is generally creative, intuitive, artsy, while a left-brain person is more of a problem-solver, more direct, logical. Somehow the real meaning was lost in translation, so I’ll explain. The brain is divided into two sides, called hemispheres. The left hemisphere
A classroom of thirty is filled with a diverse group of students that think in all different ways. Each child’s brain processes informat...
“Right-brained” or “left-brained” is a concept that has been manipulated by the media, it’s not supported by solid science. The myth of a “right-brain” person is generally creative, intuitive, artsy, while a left-brain person is more of a problem-solver, more direct, logical. Somehow the real meaning was lost in translation, so I’ll explain. The brain is divided into two sides, called hemispheres. The left hemisphere is often described as verbal and the right as
Roger Sperry is one of the big Neurobiologists in the 1950’s. Sperry studied the relationship of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. In one of his experiments he flashed the word “Fork” in front of the patient. If the patient was asked to say the word he could not but if asked to right the word he would start to right the word “Fork”. This happed when the two brain hemispheres were disconnected from each other. At an another experiment he placed a toothbrush in the patients left hand and blind folded the patient and was asked to identify it they could not do it. But if placed in the right hand the patient would know right away what it was. That is just one of the types of study he did in his time.
Most education centers focus on speaking, listening, writing, and logic making right brain learners struggle more excessively in the classroom. Right brain learners excel more in a classroom when the lesson involves images, colors, emotions, and/or the lesson is being taught through a story. Putting a child in curriculum that is friendly to the brain will and does make all the difference. However, most children can learn to accept and learn will in left brain curriculum with little to no struggle. Except, it is believed that children who learn slower or have a learning disability are more likely to be right brain learners. Knowing this, teachers can tweak teaching strategies to get all children learning to their best abilities (Right Brain vs. Left Brain). There are definitely compelling ideas relating to right-brain versus left-brain study however we have unveiled reason to be suspicious
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Cognitive psychology (2nd ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers
Nowadays, it is widely known that the right and left hemisphere have different functions. The two hemispheres are equally important in a daily life basis. Nevertheless, in the 1960’s this was not common knowledge. Even though today the importance of the brain hemispheres is common knowledge, people don’t usually know to whom attribute this findings. One of the people who contributed to form a more defined picture about the brain hemispheres and their respective functions was Roger Wolcott Sperry, with the split brain research. Roger Sperry did more contributions than the split brain research, but this is his most important and revolutionary research in the psychological field. Thanks to the split brain research, Sperry proved that the two hemispheres of the brain are important, they work together and whatever side of the brain is more capable of doing the task is the hemisphere that takes the lead.
there has been a lot of talk of left brain and right brain people. Levy's
In the video "Powerful Stoke of Insight," Dr. Taylor share a personal story of how she experienced when she had a stoke years ago. She vividly illustrated the distinct functions of left hemisphere and right hemisphere. Since her stoke occurred in the left hemisphere, she had a hard time to process language during the tragic event happened. She was paralysis and could not understand any of the word from 911 telephone operator when she finally reached the phone. According to Dr. Taylor, "Our right human hemisphere is all about this present moment, [and] our left hemisphere thinks linearly and methodically." Due to the reason that her stoke damaged her left hemisphere, she could not think logically at the moment. This presentation thoroughly explain the concept of lateralization in biological psychology research method. I find it very interesting because I never learn that each hemisphere do in charge of different functions that affecting our
Weseley, A., McEntarffer, R., & McEntarffer, R. (2010). AP® psychology. Hauppauge, N.Y: Barron's Educational Series.
Boyd, D., Wood, E.G., Wood, S.E. (2014, 2011, 2008). Mastering the world of psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. 128-129, 329-330, 335-340. Print.