The Left Brain, Right Brain Myth

How many times have you heard terms such as "the creative side of the brain," he or she is so "right-brained," and the like? It's a commonly accepted concept, and used in everyday conversation as well as advertising campaigns.

Well, I'm here to challenge your unthinking acceptance of this concept. The workings of the human brain are not so black and white.

Please take some time and read at least one of the next three references, so you may widen your understanding on this topic. For starters:

• Here's an interesting viewpoint in this essay by William H. Calvin, an affiliate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington: Left Brain, Right Brain: Science or the New Phrenology?, chapter 10 from one of his books, THE THROWING MADONNA.
  
  
• And Stanley Coren's book, THE LEFT-HANDER SYNDROME, the causes and consequences of left-handedness, while putting forth rather disturbing and questionable research findings on left-handedness, has a chapter called "Psycho-Neuro-Astrology" which addresses and deflates the left-right hemisphere theory. It's probably available at your local library.
  
  
• An article originally published in the British magazine New Scientist, is online:
  New Scientist Planet Science: Left brain, Right brain (if you don't see the article, try another browser - the last time I checked, it worked with IE). It's a report on recent scientific research dealing with how the brain's hemispheres complement each other, rather than perform as opposites - both hemispheres contribute to any given function. Such a radical thought!

If you have any input about the site, please contact me via the link below.