Differences Between Left and Right Hemisphere

One way of looking at learning styles is to determine your hemispheric dominance. Are you more right brained or left brained?  We know that the cerebral cortex is the part of the brain that houses rational functions. It is divided into two hemispheres connected by a thick band of nerve fibers (the corpus callosum) which sends messages back and forth between the hemispheres. And while brain research confirms that both sides of the brain are involved in nearly every human activity, we do know that the left side of the brain is the seat of language and processes in a logical and sequential order. The right side is more visual and processes intuitively, holistically, and randomly. Most people seem to have a dominant side. A key word is that our dominance is a preference, not an absolute. When learning is new, difficult, or stressful we PREFER to learn in a certain way. It seems that our brain goes on autopilot to the preferred side. And while nothing is entirely isolated on one side of the brain or the other, the characteristics commonly attributed to each side of the brain serve as an appropriate guide for ways of learning things more efficiently and ways of reinforcing learning. Just as it was more important for our purposes to determine that memory is stored in many parts of the brain rather than learn the exact lobe for each part, likewise it is not so much that we are biologically right brain or left brain dominant, but that we are more comfortable with the learning strategies characteristics of one over the other. What you are doing is lengthening your list of strategies for learning how to learn and trying to determine what works best for you. You can and must use and develop both sides of the brain. But because the seat of our preferences probably has more neural connections, learning may occur faster. This section will look a t some differences between left and right brain preferences. Be on the look out for practical strategies that work for you.

A cerebral hemisphere (hemispherium cerebrale) is one of the two regions of the eutherian brain that are delineated by the median plane, (medial longitudinal fissure). The brain can thus be described as being divided into left and right cerebral hemispheres. Each of these hemispheres has an outer layer of grey matter called the cerebral cortex that is supported by an inner layer of white matter. The hemispheres are linked by the corpus callosum, a very large bundle of nerve fibers, and also by other smaller commissures, including the anterior commissure, posterior commissure, and hippocampal commissure. These commissures transfer information between the two hemispheres to coordinate localized functions. The architecture, types of cells, types of neurotransmitters and receptor subtypes are all distributed among the two hemispheres in a markedly asymmetric fashion. However, while some of these hemispheric distribution differences are consistent across human beings, or even across some species, many observable distribution differences vary from individual to individual within a given species.

The left dominant type:

• argues logically and always has an answer for everything
• is future oriented
• never has time and races towards a heart attack
• any body awareness is foreign
• ignores any physical symptoms
• is nervous, restless, hectic, wound up, sometimes euphoric
• but learns quickly under direction to improve the condition
• has a tendency towards hypochondria
• doesn't know what to do with inner visions and feelings
• The left dominant type likes to be in leadership roles and high management positions. They are task oriented, result oriented, like to work with a list of things to be done. In order to be happy, they need success and recognition, but also order and structure. They have a very rigid vision of their own identity and their goals.
• problem solving approach: the left dominant type solves problems logically, analytically, step by step. Prefers numbers and facts in a logical sequence. Is interested in technology, finances and accounting, learns from dealing with facts. Easy to be hypnotized.

The right dominant type:

• talks in feelings, but often in the negative
• is past oriented
• tries all kinds of therapies and abandons them again
• nothing satisfies, is depressive, moody, emotionally unstable and feels sorry for her/him-self
• is self-descructive, always expects the worst
• slow learner to improve inner and physical conditions, often frustrating to others
• many people of this type are very charismatic and extroverted
• they search for fun activities, like painting, making music, work in the garden, being creative. They think of many things simultaneously, start many activities, need a lot of space. Have a high ability to express themselves, are communicative, often spiritual and inventive, inspire others with their ideas and also get easily inspired by others, are wordy and suggestive.
• as a child are difficult to educate, because they often have difficulties to distinguish between right and wrong. Under duress, they lack a sense of self-identity, are incapable to seperate feelings from ideas. It is easy to get into a panic and react with helplessness and little self-control. Under constant stress, obesity and hedonism are a problem. Often they believe in destiny and coincidence, without human intervention. When they have a chronic or life threatening illness, tend to be fatalistic.
• solves problems intuitively, with a sense for the whole. Is open for new ideas and developments, learns from action and observation.

THE COOL OF BRAIN IS LOOKIN THIS PICTURE IS SO INTERESTING AND FUNNY BUT IS REAL.

LEFT BRAIN DAMAGE Problems seen on the right side of the body.	RIGHT BRAIN DAMAGE Problems seen on the left side of the body.