We have only one brain, but it is split into two parts – the right and the left hemisphere. It has been found that the side of your brain that is the most dominant influences how you process information. The left side of your brain controls the right side of your body, and the right side of your brain controls the left side of your body. It would stand to reason then, that left-handed people (approximately 10% of the population) use the right side of their brain more often, while right-handed people are usually more dominant on the left side. Ambidextrous people use both hands equally (there are very few of them) and have no dominant side.
Very few people are totally left or totally right brained. Think of it this way – a person with total left-brain qualities would be more of a robot, paying attention to details and going about things totally logically. The best example I can give is Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory†television show. Those who would be totally right-brained would be completely impulsive and ignoring details, basing decisions on impulse as opposed to logic. The closest analogy I can come up with for that would be Charlie in “Three and a half Men.â€Â Can you imagine what a world we would live in if there were more of them! Thankfully, those types of characters are rare in real life.
Our brains are extremely complicated, and there are connections going over, under around and through all parts of both sides. Unless there is some kind of brain damage, we use both sides of our brains interactively throughout the day, even though we have a dominant side we tend to rely on. For instance: You use the left side of your brain dominant for language skills, while you use the right side of your brain for spatial abilities, face recognition, visual imagery and music. You could be great at languages, but keep a messy house – or love to paint and sculpt, but also enjoy sitting down to a Sodoku puzzle. These activities require the use of both sides of your brain.
I have a friend who writes, eats and draws with her left hand, throws a ball and holds a bottle with her right hand, and plays tennis with both hands. She is terrible to serve to because she has no backhand! Strangely, she can write with her right hand as well, although she is slower at it, but it is legible. Some would say she is confused, and I often think so, but she has simply learned to accommodate both sides of her brain at the same time. Most would say she was ambidextrous, but in reality her right side is stronger (testing 41% left brain to 59% right brain), so she would be classified as weak right brain dominant (To find out which side of your brain is dominant, take the test for dominance here).
This is Ron White, two-time USA Memory Champion. I am skilled at training the brain to help people find different techniques to maximize memory. I have found that by finding ways to utilize both sides of your brain equally you can not only improve your memory, but other brain functions as well.
Resources:
Release Your Mighty Memory: http://www.mightymemory.com
Lifescript – Healthy Living for Women – Right Vs. Left Brain: Which Rules You? http://www.lifescript.com/Soul/Self/Growth/Right_Vs_Left_Brain_Which_Rules_You.aspx?gclid=CPT5-4PLmagCFZQbKgod6xzB5g&trans=1&du=1&ef_id=nCRNpaNlWh8AAIPE:20110413132141:s
Right Brain vs Left Brain Creativity Test: http://www.wherecreativitygoestoschool.com/vancouver/left_right/rb_test.htm