The phrase “left and right brain” refers to the two halves, or hemispheres, of your brain. It’s widely believed that the left and right hemispheres are different, controlling some of your cognitive functions and shaping certain personality traits. Recent studies have shown that the left and right separation is misunderstood.
How the Brain Works
The brain is our motherboard, storage, operating system, and more. But the way the brain works can’t be explained in a binary system, which is how the left-and-right-brain idea came about. The brain actually works through a complex network of connections.
You think using your whole brain. But your brain builds a unique pattern of connections depending on your life experiences, genetics, and other factors. That makes these patterns of connections inside your brain unique to you.
Parts of the brain
Your brain is divided into left and right hemispheres which look similar and are symmetrical. Each hemisphere is in charge of the opposite side of the body. So the right hemisphere controls your left side — handling movement and sensory messgaes — and the left hemisphere does the same for your right side.
Your brain is segmented into regions called lobes. These lobes keep body functions organized into specific areas. Just like highways, certain parts of your brain contain specialized connections.
The “Left Brain/Right Brain” Myth
You do have a left brain and a right brain, but popular culture has created a widespread misunderstanding about these terms. You’re not alone if you think your left brain handles logical thinking, and the right brain is for creativity.
You might even put yourself in a left or right brain category, depending on your interests. But scientists have been able to look closer at the brain and see that it’s more complex than “left = logical.”
Split-brain surgeries in the 1960s cut the corpus callosum; this area of the brain acts like a bridge between the left and right brain. This treatment for epilepsy cut the connections between the two hemispheres and gave scientists the chance to study each half of the brain separately. They found that the left brain controls language and rhythm, but the right brain is involved with things such as emotions and melody.
The myth of ‘totally opposite’ hemispheres
Even though each side of your brain controls different parts of your body, it doesn’t mean the two halves work entirely separately. The myth about “totally opposite” halves of your brain persists for many reasons:
- It satisfies the need for order.
- Like astrological signs, it gives people a defined personality type.
- People naturally see creativity and logic as opposites.
- People find the idea of having untapped creative power appealing.
Left vs. Right Brain
There are many differences between the two sides of your brain, other than what side of the body they control. Your brain works by making different types of connections. A great example is which hand you use.
Just like highways connect cities, your brain can make a type of connection called a lateralized connection which helps quickly do everyday tasks. A great example is your dominant hand, the one you use the most. In fact, most people use their right hand; only about 10% of people are left-handed or use both.
Experts think lateralized connections help the brain:
- Stay organized
- Free up space for other tasks
- Lower the risk of mistakes
Lateralized connections can also make it seem like each half of your brain might have specific jobs, especially if your brain has more on one side. And that might contribute to the mix-up about left- or right-brain orientation.
Left Brain vs. Right Brain | |
|---|---|
Myth | Reality |
Right-brain is creative. Left-brain is logical. | Many brain parts work together to shape personality. |
Right-brain for emotion. Left-brain for words. | The two halves talk constantly using connections. |
Adult brains stop making new connections. | The brain makes new connections every day. |
We only use about 10% of our brain. | We use 100% of our brain. |
It’s about connection
A study at the University of Utah shed light on how your brain connects and sends signals. After looking at brain data from 1,011 young people, scientists found that both halves of the brain are used regularly, not one or the other for any particular activity.
It’s still true that connections for language are found on the left side of the brain, while connections for your emotions are right-sided. That may be because your brain makes certain connections in the same place to help it work better. But no evidence suggests that a person’s left or right brain is stronger than the other.
Neural connections
When your senses experience some input, your brain processes the feelings and you take action. This causes the neurons in your brain to light up with activity. All of these pieces need a different part of the brain to work. Each part of your brain is in the same network, called a neural network. So certain areas may have stronger connections than others.
A complex world equals a complex brain
The millions of stimuli that our brain processes aren’t black and white. There isn’t a clear-cut area for everything; instead, your brain uses uniquely shaped connections and pathways, juggling input from one area to another.
Actually, the temporal lobe controls your ability to hear music, but many parts of your brain are put to work when you:
- Have an emotional reaction to the music
- Pick up the musical rhythms
- Follow the melody
How your brain makes and uses nerve connections and neural pathways is unique to you.
What Is the Corpus Callosum?
Your corpus callosum sits in the middle of your brain, between the left and right hemispheres. It’s a bundle of nerve fibers or connections that act like a bridge between the left and right side of your brain. The corpus callosum helps your left hemisphere talk to the right one.
The corpus callosum also controls your capacity to get things done in daily life, including how you:
- See, hear, touch, taste, and smell things
- Move your muscles
- Think, remember, and solve problems
- Process speech
“Left Brain/Right Brain” Not Very Different
The two hemispheres have their own domains, so they can specialize and do different things. But your personality is not determined by whether you are left-brained or right-brained. Instead, it has more to do with how your brain is structured.
Some recent studies point out that more open, curious, and creative personality traits might be linked to a thicker, more folded outer layer of your brain (cortex). You still use your whole brain, but your brain is a one-of-a-kind shape and pattern of connections.
So, you can’t really refer to yourself as left- or right-brained because personality traits are shaped by many parts of your brain working together.
Takeaways
You may have heard the popular phrase “left or right brain” to describe personality traits. The two halves, or hemispheres, of your brain actually work together using a unique pattern of connections. Even though one side of your brain might specialize in certain tasks for efficiency, the idea that people are strictly “left-brained” or “right-brained” is a myth. Many parts of our brain work together to shape our personality.
Left and Right Brain FAQs
What is between the left and right brain?
Your corpus callosum sits between your left and right brain. It’s a bundle of nerve fibers that acts like a bridge, allowing your whole brain to work together.
How do the left and right sides of your brain talk with ADHD?
Your left and right brain hemispheres talk through the bridge of connections called your corpus callosum. Some studies show this area of the brain may be different in people with ADHD. It's a balancing act: Both sides use the same bridge to keep the traffic flowing. If one side gets more connections, it can cause "traffic" that may affect your attention or behavior.
What are 10 characteristics of the left brain?
Even though you use your entire brain, here are some things that the left hemisphere commonly controls:
- Communication
- Strategy
- Problem-solving
- Identifying patterns
- Data analysis
- Speech
- Language
- Sequential and linear thinking
- Logic
- Numbers
