Upper Intermediate

Keynote
Reading text Unit 9: The left brain – right brain debate

Is it possible to become more of a creative person than you are? Or are you stuck as a ‘left

brain’ thinker? There’s a popular theory that our creativity and other aspects of our

personalities are determined by which side of our brain is dominant. But is that a helpful

theory? And is it even based on fact?

We invited a psychologist, Cary Wilson, and an educationalist, Kirk Monroe, to discuss the

question Is the left–right brain idea useful?

KM Yes. It’s been shown many times that there are some brain functions that we can clearly

associate with either the right or the left side of the brain. Language is located in the left side

and visualization in the right, for example. There have also been studies which show

something similar in animals; that is, things like feeding or escaping from predators are types

of behaviour that seem to originate in different sides of the brain.

CW No. The problem with this idea is that it has been exaggerated to describe whole

personality types. If you go online, you’ll find countless tests which will tell you in a matter

of seconds if you are a right-brain creative, artistic, musical and intuitive person who is

influenced by their emotions, or alternatively that you are a left-brain thinker who’s logical,

analytical and takes decisions objectively. You’ll even find lists of famous ‘left-brain’

people: Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawking, and ‘right-brain’ people: Leonardo da Vinci!

It’s nonsense. It’s not useful to put people into categories like this. In fact, I believe it is
harmful. Not only is there no real evidence to support it, there are now some very convincing

studies showing that both sides of the brain are active and neither side is stronger than the

other.

KM I agree that we use the whole brain to process things. However, it can be very useful in

education, at work and in our daily lives to have a better understanding of our strengths and

weaknesses. Let’s say you’ve done one of these tests and it tells you you’re a left-brain

thinker. Perhaps you recognize that in yourself, because creativity is an area you want to

improve in. Having this knowledge might encourage you to look for things you can do to

boost your creativity.

CW I can’t disagree that understanding more about how we think and function as individuals

can benefit us. But for me, the key thing is to remember that there’s no scientific basis for this

theory. Do the tests for fun, but don’t take them seriously.

intuitive (adj) instinctive, not based on learning or outside evidence

visualization (n) the technique of making mental images