Split Brain
Are you “right-brained” or “left-brained”?
Brain Lateralization is a complex and ongoing process by which differing regions of the brain “take over” the functioning of specific behaviors and cognitive skills. Lateralization literally means that certain functions are located (in part or total) on one side of the brain. “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
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The left and right hemispheres of the brain are each divided into sections. Within each sections are lobes, controlling such processes as our visualization, our movement, and our personalities. For instance, the occipital lobe in the back of our brain is responsible for processing vision, and the frontal lobe behind our forehead controls cognition and personality. The lobes of the brain are split between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This well-designed arrangement is for the lobes to function correctly, so the two hemispheres of the brain can communicate with one …show more content…
The corpus callosum binds the left and right hemispheres of the brain together, both physically and communicatively. After this operation has been performed, there was a remarkable development with how we perceive things and some of the results showed how much we rely on the connection between the two halves of our brain. There are also advantages of having a split brain. A study performed by Rogers et al, 2004 found that when you have two halves of a brain then it increases your ability to both look for food and watch for predators at the same time. Possibly demonstrating that the connections between our ancestors’ brain hemispheres were less developed. Another advantage is having the ability to read two pages at once. Of course, there are more disadvantages than advantages of having a split brain. An example of one is the most famous split brain study of all time, Sperry, 1968. In this study each participant, all having two halves of a brain, was shown two different images. One in each visual field and when asked to draw the image they had just seen they would draw the image they saw on the left but they would describe it as the image they saw on the right. This shows that the left side of the brain, which controls the right visual field, contains the information to be able to describe an object when seen
Some do not believe that we have a left and right brain. However, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future by Daniel H. Pink explains that the left and right hemispheres of the brain control different abilities. I have learned from this book how society and the economy have shifted from the “Information Age” to a “Conceptual Age,” how the arguments of left brain theorists (L- directed) differ from those of right brain theorists (R-directed), the three A’s of abundance, automation, and Asia, and the six essential aptitudes or “six senses” of Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning.
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.
The cerebrum consists of two hemispheres, separated by a deep fissure called the Corpus Callosum, the hemispheres are divided into four lobes; the frontal, partials, occipital and temporal.
Hemispheric dominance is a popular theory that has become a hit outside of the scientific community. This theory encompasses the idea that only one of the two hemispheres of the brain will specialize in a certain area of thinking. The brain’s right hemisphere is theorized to be visually and creatively active, whilst the left hemisphere would actively engage in verbal and analytical processes. The concept of ‘left-brained’ thinkers and ‘right-brained’ thinkers is thus brought by this theory. As their naming suggests, left-brained individuals are thought to be more analytical or logical than their right-brained counterparts who instead would be further engaged in creative thinking. This has been proven to be an oversimplification of a far
After a split brain procedure, the patient’s brain would adapt to the right and left hemispheres working independently. The patient now has two independent streams of consciousness. For example, if a split-brain patient is shown an image on the left side of their visual field they would not be able to name the image that was shown to them. This is because anything in the left field is sent to the right hemisphere of the brain. Speech is controlled in the left hemisphere of the brain. If the two hemispheres are no longer connected there is no way for the left hemisphere to know what information is being sent to the right hemisphere, so the patient would not be able to communicate what they are seeing. The previous stated example and Split-brain research in general also proves cortical lateralization because each side of the brain specializes in different tasks. The right and left brain hemispheres each have its own dominant
The brain is such a complex and interesting thing to learn about. I learned a lot through the three- dimensional brain activity. Starting with the frontal lobe. The frontal lobes are located under the forehead. These lobes play a key role in movement and reasoning. They are also connected with the limbic system. The parietal lobe is at the top of the head. The parietal lobe gets its intel from the skin, it is very important to processing touch and helping determine how hot or cold it is and the pain in our body. The parietal lobe works with primary motor skills which are in charge of our voluntary actions. The temporal lobes are on the sides of the head. The temporal lobes are very important to speech and hearing. Within the temporal is the auditory center, this is what processes the nerve impulses sent from the ears.
both hemispheres of the brain are active but that the left hemisphere may be more active.
The human brain is the control center of the human body. It is the most important part of the body, because without a brain, none of us would be alive. In the brain, there are the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum holds memories, controls movement, and does problem solving and thinking. It is the biggest part of your brain. The cerebellum is underneath the cerebrum; it controls coordination and balance. The brain stem is the part closest to the neck. It controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, etc. (Alzheimer's Assosiation, 2011). The brain has two hemispheres as well as the three major sections; the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. There is not exactly a “music area” in the brain.
The left side controls posture, reasoning, and numbering skills. The two hemispheres have a bridge that is made of bundles of fibers called corpus collusm. (Boeree, C. G. (2003)) Frontal lobe is involved in motor skills including speech and cognitive functions.
there has been a lot of talk of left brain and right brain people. Levy's
The brain is a very complex organ in the body. Although it is made up of its own different types of sections, the occipital lobe is probably the most simpler sections on the brain than the rest. The occipital lobe is located on the rear end of the head, right behind the parietal and temporal lobes. The main function of the occipital lobe is to process visual information that we see on a day-to-day basis. Even though our eyes are in the front of our head, everything that we see is sent to the back of our head, to the occipital lobe, where all the information is taken in.
The left side of the brain is responsible for logic, language and reasoning for behaviour and decision- making and “[balances] to control and explain actions that begin in the right brain”. (Kenny & Associates, 2000, “para.” 2) This in fact led them to develop “The Right Brain Approach”People see a commercial for a product and ration the idea of buying that product through logic and reasoning done by the left brain.
The brain is roughly separated into eight main parts: The Parietal Lobe, the Occipital Lobe, Cerebellum, Spinal Cord, Medulla Oblongata, Pons, Temporal Lobe and the Frontal Lobe. In class discussion the one that intrigued me most was the Frontal Lobe. The functions Frontal Lobe include a lot of personality,
...re of the brain is just half of the brain so why is it the only half being explored in school? This failure to confront the other hemisphere causes weakening in the right hemisphere since the right hemisphere isn?t being exercised.
Laterality is referred to as the superiority of function of one side of the body in relation to the other side with regards to sensory reception and motor output (Fisher et al., 1991:176). When discussing laterality, it is important to discuss lateralization as the two terms are linked. Lateralization refers to the process whereby each hemisphere becomes specialized in a specific function. It is believed that well-established laterality is a good indicator of lateralization (hemisphere specialization) (Krans, 2006:161). Theoretically, specific patterns of thinking and behaviour are associated to each hemisphere. For example, in a right-handed person, the left hemisphere is more specialised in directing and controlling fine motor skills such as writing and cutting (Ayres, 2005:34). Language is also typically lateralized to the left-hemisphere in most right-handed individuals. The right-hemisphere, in contrast, is better at processing non-verbal language. Both hemispheres also play important roles in reading and mathematical ability (Murray, 1991:178-183). A particular function may be strongly lateralized to one hemisphere, meaning that that hemisphere predominantly controls that function; or it may be weakly lateralized, suggesting more of a shared hemispheric control (Fisher et al., 1991:176).