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Science Finds Creativity Uses Both Sides Of Brain
People often say that logical people are left-brained and creative people are right-brained.
Scientists have found that the two sides of the brain do specialize in some jobs.
For example, language is often more connected to the left side, while some emotional and non-verbal processing is more connected to the right.
But this does not mean a person is controlled by only one side.
A large MRI study found no brain patterns showing that people have generally left-brained or right-brained personalities.
Creative thinking uses brain networks on both sides.
Some people may have stronger control of a particular skill on one side, and that can help their performance.
The idea became popular because a real scientific finding was simplified.
In everyday life, both halves of the brain work together.
The popular left-brain/right-brain personality theory oversimplifies genuine differences between brain hemispheres.
Paul Broca’s 19th-century research linked speech mainly to the brain’s left side.
Roger Sperry’s split-brain studies found the left side specialized in language and the right in emotional and non-verbal processing.
A 2013 analysis of more than 1,000 MRI scans found no evidence that people are generally left-brained or right-brained.
Research indicates creativity relies on widespread activity across both hemispheres, while stronger lateralization can improve related skills.
- Who
- Researchers including Paul Broca, Roger Sperry and scientists who analyzed MRI scans.
- What
- Studies examined whether brain hemispheres determine personality, thinking style and creativity.
- Where
- The studies examined the human brain; the article is datelined Perth.
- When
- The research history began in the 1860s; a major MRI study was conducted in 2013.
- Why
- Scientists investigated whether different brain functions support the popular claim that people are generally left-brained or right-brained.
Key facts
- Origin of hemispheric research
- In the 1860s, Paul Broca found that speech was controlled mainly by the brain’s left side.
- Split-brain research
- Roger Sperry studied people whose brain hemispheres had been surgically separated to treat epilepsy.
- Observed specialization
- The left hemisphere was associated more with language, while the right was associated more with emotional and non-verbal processing.
- MRI study
- A 2013 study examined MRI scans from more than 1,000 people and mapped more than 7,000 brain regions.
- MRI conclusion
- Researchers found no evidence that people have generally left-brained or right-brained personalities.
- Creativity
- Studies found creative thought requires widespread activity across both hemispheres.
- Individual differences
- Stronger control of a task by one hemisphere was associated with better performance in the corresponding skill.
Sources
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