If you are like most people, the exercise above can be not only challenging but frustrating. While it seems like a simple task, this test is designed to assay the innermost workings of our mind. In our brain, we have a thin vertical ridge that separates the left and right hemispheres (Pink, 2005). During this exercise, the left side of your brain is working to recognize the written word. However, the right side of your brain is focusing on the color. These simultaneous responses of the different sides of the brain force the viewer to slow down and focus in order to arrive at the correct answer.
While the two sides of our brain appear identical, they serve different purposes as far as their functions. The left side of the brain controls speech and also works to process information in a sequential, logical order. On the other side, the right deals with our emotions and focuses on a holistic perspective of the world (Mikkelson et. al, 2006).
Our society has long been dominated by L-Directed Thinking with the most beneficial careers requiring logic and analytical skills. Accountants, doctors, and lawyers dominate our world by excelling at academic achievement tests such as the GMAT, MCAT, and LSAT (Pink, 2005). However Pink (2005) says, “The SAT-ocracy is now in its dying days…today, we’re moving into an era in which R-Directed Thinking will increasingly determine who gets ahead (p. 30).”
When I first read Pink’s article, I was surprised but intrigued. In our culture, we are obsessed with our worldly possessions. We always want bigger and better. With all the competition in our economy, it isn’t enough for companies to have a functioning product. It must also be aesthetically pleasing.
As a public relations student, this was encouraging. With so many jobs being outsourced, the public relations field remains more stable due to its innovative and creative aspects. According to Hailey, Cox, and Loader (2010), “Employees who habitually develop innovative products and solutions and can demonstrate that value to the company may have the best chance of either making their jobs valuable to moving into positions with higher degrees of protection (p. 135).”
After reading Pink’s article, I decided to find out if I was more left or right brain dominant. Below are my results.
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(11)Initially, I was surprised that I was more left brain dominant. I’ve always love working with graphics and pictures, and logic and reasoning were never my strong suit. However, the more I thought about it, I realized that my left brain dominance has been ingrained within me since childhood. My father is a doctor, my mother is a physical therapist, and my brother is an engineer. In our family, we approach life in a sequential, analytical way. With my genetics, I have always been gifted when it comes to school, and I have excelled at the left brain dominated standardized tests. When my family has a problem, we dissect it until we find an answer. We all carry detailed calendars that dictate our actions throughout the day as well. It’s who we are.
According to Mikkelson, Farinelli, and La Valley (2006), “Nonverbal communication is the primary vehicle for the expression of emotions (p. 428).” Since emotions are controlled by the right part of the brain, my left brain dominance presents more of a challenge in interpreting the nonverbal messages of others. R-Directed Thinkers tend to have an easier time expressing their emotions, but L-Directed Thinkers are said to have more emotional control, meaning the ability to regulate our emotional and nonverbal displays (Mikkelson et. al, 2006). While I might have a harder time reading the messages of others, I can better control my own nonverbal communication due to my left brain dominance.
By knowing my brain dominance, I can better communicate with my peers, friends, and family. Recognizing the different brain types of people allows me to be more understanding and accepting of different opinions and perspectives. My approach to life also allows me to present my thoughts in a step-by-step, organized manner. As a communicator, my left brain dominance lets me be more clear and concise with my messages.
In our rapidly changing world, we have no choice but to be adaptable. R-Directed Thinkers might have an advantage in the coming years, but L-Directed Thinkers aren’t out of the race yet. There is a widespread misconception that creativity is something elite and sacred. In reality, it is a normal mental process that can flourish with effort and practice (Burroughs et. al, 2011). The economy is much like natural selection. We must adapt in order to survive. So its time for all the lefties to put on their thinking caps.
References
Burroughs, J., Dahl, D., Moreau, C., Chattopadhyay, A., & Gorn, G. (2011). Facilitating and Rewarding Creativity During New Product Development. Journal Of Marketing, 75(4), 53-67. doi:10.1509/jmkg.75.4.53
Hailey, D., Cox, M., & Loader, E. (2010). Relationship between Innovation and Professional Communication in the “Creative” Economy. Journal Of Technical Writing & Communication, 40(2), 125-141. doi:10.2190/TW.40.2.b
Mikkelson, A. C., Farinelli, L., & La Valley, A. G. (2006). The Influences of Brain Dominance and Biological Sex on Emotional Expressivity, Sensitivity, and Control. Communication Quarterly, 54(4), 427-446.
Pink, D. H. (2005). A whole new mind. New York: Penguin Group.
Through My Eyes... Written By Ali Croom 
Comments on: "My Brain Type" (2)
I thought the exercise at the beginning of your post was very intriguing. Being slightly left-brained dominant, I found it much more natural to read the word that was written instead of the color of the font. However, after I slowed down my thoughts and forced myself to use the right side of my brain, I started to be able to say the colors much faster. I think it’s interesting how although we are dominant on one side, we can still get ourselves to utilize the other. Although it may not come as naturally, I think we can still figure out how to use the less dominant side and open ourselves up to a whole different realm of thinking.
I loved this blog! The display and the quizzes drew the reader and intrigued their curiosity. Also, the content was scholarly as well as entertaining. Well done!