The left-brain and the right-brain are known by numerous synonyms. Respectively, these are: male brain and female brain, the major hemisphere and the minor hemisphere, the sequential thinker and the holistic thinker, the inchworm and the grasshopper, the logical brain and the creative brain, the artist and the thinker. The question is: why are the two sides described by such antonyms?
Research into the Left Brain and the Right Brain
In the 1950s, the psychobiologist Roger W Sperry conducted experiments on monkeys whose corpus callosum had been severed. He found that both hemispheres of the brain were still able to learn and function, but the two hemispheres were unable to communicate to one another about what had been learned.
A Brain without a Corpus Callosum
His study took significance when in the 1960s, he was able to find out how the two hemispheres of the brain specialised. He did this by performing experiments on patients who had had the corpus callosum removed. This was a procedure performed to alleviate the symptoms of severe epilepsy. The results showed that each of the hemispheres had their own separate state of consciousness and viewed the world in a different way.
Where is Logical Thought?
He found that the left hemisphere was the more aggressive, verbal hemisphere and performed logical tasks, such as reasoning and analysis. Skills such as speaking, writing, logic and processing data were processed there. The right hemisphere was found to be almost mute and incapable of making mathematical calculations. However, the right brain is superior in its understanding of three-dimensional space, drawing ability and holistic thinking.
Where in the Brain is Drawing Ability?
A patient who had had split-brain surgery, was asked to draw a cross and a cube. Despite being naturally right-handed, the patient could not reproduce the images with the right hand (which is controlled by the left hemisphere). He was able to do so with ease with the left hand, since the right brain understands three-dimensional space and therefore, controls drawing ability. Betty Edward's book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain [Harper Collins. 2001], explores drawing ability further.
The Left Side of the Brain and the Speech Centre
Sperry presented a patient with split-brain surgery two different words, which appeared on either side of the visual field. The patient was only able to verbalise the word that appeared on the right visual field. This was because it had been presented only to the left side of the brain where the speech centre is located. The right hemisphere cannot speak, so the only way to communicate the other word was to draw it or pick it out from a box of objects.
Why Many Artists are Left Handed
Sperry’s findings might explain why a significant number of artists are left-handed. However, he also found that the brain’s physiology changes with demand. It follows, though that a left-handed person is likely to be “right brained” and vice versa.
The Two Hemispheres of the Brain
Sperry’s discovery that the speech centre, logic and sequential thinking resided in the left brain, and that drawing ability, lateral thinking and holistic thinking resided in the right brain earned him a Nobel prize in 1981.
Rachel Shirley - I have written and illustrated several art instruction books entitled Oil Paintings from your Garden and Oil Paintings from the Landscape ...
