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Thinking preferences and the Different Parts of the Brain
Despite the complexity of the human brain we are able to associate certain styles of thinking with different parts of the physical brain. Although this link between physiology and psychology is a gross over-simplification, it does have a scientific foundation and it is helpful in the study of brain dominance to use this simplified model. The thinking styles and personality traits associated with the four quadrants of this model are as follows:
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Cerebral left
The left hemisphere of your cerebral brain is responsible for reasoned and logical thinking. People who are dominant in this quadrant tend to be good with numbers, they are analytical and like to know how things work. They tend to be clear, precise and to the point. They are also good at being objective and rational. |
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Cerebral right
The right hemisphere of your cerebral brain is the centre of your holistic, or “big picture” thinking. People who are dominant in this quadrant are often quite individualistic. They are challenging of conventions and frequently ask the question “why?” They are excited by new things and are not avers to taking risks. |
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Limbic left
The left side of the limbic (lower) brain is best described as the centre of your "specific" thinking. People who are dominant in this quadrant like neatness and precision. They tend to be good with detail and like to think and act sequentially – a step at a time. Such people tend to be careful, cautious and are unlikely to take unnecessary risks.
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Limbic right
The right side of your limbic brain is the centre of your emotional thinking. People who are dominant in this quadrant are often empathetic and good at interpreting non-verbal signs such as tonality, facial expressions and body-language. They like to like people and to create harmony and they will tend to be interested in the "human" aspects of any situation.
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If you have read the descriptions of each of the quadrants of the brain above, you are probably forming an impression of your own brain dominance. You may also be thinking that more than one quadrant appears to describe you. This is because most people are "dominant" in more than one quadrant. In other words, they have a preference for two or more of these thinking styles.
Regardless of your profile, it is important to note that your brain dominance is an indicator of your preferences, not your abilities. For example, if a person exhibits predominantly left-brained preferences, it does not mean that they are not caring, that they cannot see the "big picture" or that they are not imaginative; it simply means that they have a preference for more structured and sequential thinking. It is exactly the same as with physical dominance - just because the person is right-handed it does not mean that they could not catch a ball with their left hand, simply that it would be easier and more natural for them to catch it with their dominant hand.
Additional reading:
How does the brain grow and develop dominance?
How can Brain Dominance be measured? |
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