Lesson 2: Thinking and Memory
3 - Right Brain/Left Brain
Recent studies of thinking have revealed that 85% of our brain is devoted to sensing, feeling, and emotion. Only 15% is devoted to cognitive reasoning. However, the school system emphasizes the narrower aspect of cognitive reasoning leaving a large part of our brain’s potential unchallenged.
The human brain is divided into two main parts or hemispheres, the left and the right. The brain theory suggests that each hemisphere specializes in different kinds of conscious awareness. The right hemisphere or right brain (these terms will be used interchangeably) seems to govern artistic talents, intuitive thought, and spatial orientation. In other words, the right hemisphere handles most of the creativity. It operates in a random fashion. The right hemisphere is the centre for thinking that occurs by process of intuitive judgment.
The left hemisphere or left brain appears to be mainly responsible for logical thought, language, and analytic processes. That is, the left hemisphere responds to problem solving and rational assessments.
The nerve tissues of the corpus callosum join the hemispheres. The activities of the two hemispheres are completely independent and uncoordinated. On the contrary, the two hemispheres are well integrated for smooth functioning.
Most of you have preferred brain activities (left or right), but you manage to do many of the tasks related to the other hemisphere. How can the idea of different mental functions for each hemisphere be tested? People have been given different mental tasks, and while they are involved in the tasks, the brain waves are monitored. Tiny electrical waves are emitted by each hemisphere depending on the mental activity taking place. The human brain is complex and incredible!