Difference Between Left Brain & Right Brain

The human brain is a magnificent organ that has been focused on by many disciplines such as psychology, neurology, physics, sociology and more for centuries. And despite the many studies and attempts to truly understand the human brain, there is still much uncovered ground due to nearly 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion connections that are hidden inside it.

However, even with all the mystery hidden in our brains, every day, we come a little closer to discovering it even further. The most important discovery is the differences between the right brain and the left brain.

What Is the Difference Between Left Brain vs Right Brain?

We hear you ask “So, what is the difference between right and left brain?”

The main difference between these two hemispheres is the abilities that they provide to a person in case of their dominance.

For example, if your child enjoys music, art classes and social studies, there is a big chance that he/she is right brain dominant. On the other hand, if your child enjoys maths, science,brain teasers and more logical challenges, he/she may be left brain dominant.

However, this does not mean that one part of the brain is stronger than the other. As people have come to believe that there is a sort of brain lateralization, recent studies have shown that even though a certain part of the brain is used for one activity and the other for another, on average, humans use them both and are able to enhance their left or right hemispheres by simply doing the work.

So, if your child is a creative person -which is accepted as a right brain dominant- with the proper mental exercises, you can help them use their left hemisphere just as effectively.

However, you should keep in mind that Oxford Academic Journals claims that children become right brain dominant at the age of 3 or 4. On the other hand, left brain functions become fully active when children are about 7 years old.

Left and Right Brain Functions Chart

Now we hear you ask “Which side of the brain controls memory?”, “Which side of the brain controls emotions?” or “Which side of the brain controls speech?”.

Luckily, we have a chart that will help you better understand the left and right brain functions and a list of cognitive functions of the left and right brain.

Left Brain Functions	Right Brain Functions
The right side of body control	The left side of body control
Number skills	3-D shapes
Math/Scientific skills	Music/Art awareness
Written language	Intuition
Spoken language	Creativity
Objectivity	Imagination
Analytical	Subjectivity
Logic	Synthesizing
Reasoning	Face recognition

Left Brain Functions

Here are the left brain dominant traits that a person can have with a more dominant left hemisphere:

1. The Right Side of Body Control

The left hemisphere of our brain controls the right side of our body functions such as right field vision and right side motor skills.

2. Number Skills

A child which is left brain dominant will be good with numbers.

3. Math/Scientific Skills

Don’t be surprised if your child’s favorite class is biology!

4. Spoken Language

Speaking of language, it is easier to learn a new language for a left brain dominant person.

5. Objectivity

With more rational approaches to situations, left brain functions allow objectivity.

6. Analytical

It will be hard to be rational without analytics! The left hemisphere enables analytical thinking.

7. Logic

The left hemisphere is responsible for logic so if your child is left brain dominant, don’t be afraid of bringing on the hardest brain teasers.

8. Reasoning

Last but not least, children with a more dominant left hemisphere will have better reasoning skills and will have no difficulties understanding cause and effect.

Right Brain Functions

Now it’s time to discover the right brain functions:

1. The Left Side of Body Control

Just as it is with the left hemisphere, the right hemisphere is responsible for the left side of body functions.

2. 3-D Shapes

Children who have a dominant right hemisphere can turn out to be excellent artists.

3. Music/Art Awareness

Since the right hemisphere is responsible for creativity, it wouldn’t be a surprise that they have an improved music and art awareness.

4. Intuition

Children have strong senses and intuitions if they are right brain dominant.

5. Creativity

Yes, creativity is the most important trait of children with a more dominant right hemisphere.

6. Imagination

With creativity comes imagination. As the genius Albert Einstein once said “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

7. Subjectivity

Right brain dominant traits include subjectivity.

8. Synthesizing

Children with dominant right brain functions are very good at synthesizing information.

9. Face Recognition

Right brain dominant traits also include an enhanced visual memory which allows children to have an advanced facial recognition skill.

Left and Right Brain Dominance

Now you know the right and left brain functions and the traits that come along with them. It’s time to understand what that means.

What Does Left Brain Dominant Mean?

A person who is left brain dominant can be:

• Business analysts
• Programmers
• Reporters
• Scientists
• Network administrators

Likewise, here are some tips for left brain dominant students:

• Study in a quiet room to avoid any distractions.
• If you like to take the lead in study groups, you might enjoy volunteer work.
• Participate in the debate team, science fair, or math league.
• You may enjoy non-fiction books more compared to fiction.
• You may be more comfortable with factual questions and assignments, as opposed to open-ended questions.
• Keep your room organized and maintain order in your personal space.
• Try to refrain from arguing with your teachers, even if you disagree.
• When choosing assignments, side with analytical essays instead of creative writing.

Are All Left Brain Dominant People Also Left-Handed?

That’s another question we always get when it comes to left and right brain dominance...

In general, 70-90% of people are right-handed, and it is mainly because of their genetics. However, it is observed that especially kids are able to learn to use “the other side” while doing some sports like tennis or baseball, so handedness can be improved as well.

According to theconversation.com, our brain’s right hemisphere controls the left side of our body and vice versa. Around 95% of right-handers are observed to be left brain dominant.

However, most right-handed people depend more on the left side of their brain for speech and language. That means, there is no certain research, data or statistics on right-handed people being left brain dominant or left-handed people being right brain dominant.

What Does Right Brain Dominant Mean?

People who are right brain dominant can be:

• Graphic designers
• Interior designers
• Musicians
• Painters
• Psychologists
• Counselors
• Managers

In addition, here are some tips for right brain dominant students:

• Use your excellent story-telling skills and choose writing personal essays when you have the option to choose what kind of an essay to write.
• Keep your daydreaming under control and don't let it cause you to procrastinate.
• Find a hobby you’re passionate about.
• Put your intuition to work in social situations and use your strong gut instinct to your advantage.
• Use your creativity when writing and use colorful language.
• Use images and charts when studying, keep in mind that visuality will let it stick.
• Write down directions to help you remember.
• Make outlines to organize your thoughts and minimize losing control of your imagination.
• Practice mindful listening to help during lectures—don't let your mind wander off.
• Talent and great instincts are not enough on their own. Try to complete things and practice finishing everything you start.

Are All Right Brain Dominant People Also Right-Handed?

As we mentioned above, 70-90% of people are right-handed, and it is mainly because of their genetics. Therefore the handedness of a person cannot be related to the dominance of any brain hemisphere.

Takeaway from Left and Right Brain Difference

Despite there being a huge difference between the two sides of our brains, they don’t work independently or separately from each other. The different parts of our brain are connected with tiny nerves that create an information path.

Our brain is so adaptable to change and we are continuing to recognize its abilities and capabilities. The fact that someone has a left dominant brain doesn’t mean that the right brain doesn’t work. Whether or not you are performing a creative action, you receive inputs from both sides of your brain separately and also together.

FAQ