U SE B OTH S IDES OF Y OUR B RAIN !
Article by Jeffrey Baumgartner
It is known and proven that the two hemispheres of the brain function differently. Broadly
speaking, language functions such as grammar and vocabulary; linear reasoning; direct
fact retrieval; and exact numerical calculation are are dealt with by the left hemisphere of
the brain. Language functions such as intonation and accentuation; the processing of
visual images; the processing of sounds; facial perception; and artistic ability are the
responsibility of the right side of the brain1. This is well known, but it has also resulted in a
few misconceptions.
Because things like artistic ability and non-linear thinking are associated with the right side
of the brain, this has led to the fallacy of right-brained thinking and right brain people. As to
the latter, it is worth pointing out that the only way a person can truly be right brained
would be through having the left hemisphere of her brain surgically removed. This
unpleasant operation has, to the best of my knowledge, never been performed.
Nevertheless, there have been cases of people who have had the left hemispheres of their
brains severely damaged, essentially making them right brained thinkers. Based on their
cases, it is clear that the loss of the left hemisphere would leave the patient seriously
disabled mentally.
That said, there is evidence that individuals tend to favour one hemisphere of the brain
over the other. Artists often, but do not always, appear to favour their right brain for
thinking. But painting, sculpting and many other art forms also require substantial logical
analyses more closely associated with the left side of the brain. Mixing colours, judging the
balance of a structure in sculpture, timing in music and similar activities require the left
side of the brain.
Use the Entire Brain
In fact, it seems that the most creative people favour neither the right nor the left
hemisphere, but use both hemispheres. Moreover, evidence would suggest that if you
could favour one side of the brain over the other while doing creative problem solving
exercises, you would actually hinder your creativity rather than help it!
That is because creative thinking involves combining diverse bits of information in order to
create new ideas. Moreover, within limits anyway, the more diversity you can put into your
thinking, the more creative the results are likely to be. This is why the best creative teams
include people with diverse backgrounds. It is why an effective means of generating
creative ideas can be to introduce some random influence (such as a word picked out of a
dictionary, or going some place new to think) into your thinking. In short, diversity is far
more important than using one hemisphere or the other of your brain when being creative,
whether generating ideas alone or in a group.
The importance of diversity of thought in creative idea generation has been demonstrated
in the laboratory. In 2008, Charles J. Limb and Allen R. Braun popped some professional
jazz pianists into an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner and had them improvise
on imitation keyboards (you cannot put a real piano keyboard into such a machine). The
researchers found that...
..improvisation (compared to production of over-learned musical sequences) was
consistently characterized by a dissociated pattern of activity in the prefrontal
cortex: extensive deactivation of dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral orbital regions
with focal activation of the medial prefrontal (frontal polar) cortex. Such a pattern
may reflect a combination of psychological processes required for spontaneous
improvisation, in which internally motivated, stimulus-independent behaviors unfold
in the absence of central processes that typically mediate self-monitoring and
conscious volitional control of ongoing performance. Changes in prefrontal activity
during improvisation were accompanied by widespread activation of neocortical
sensorimotor areas (that mediate the organization and execution of musical
performance) as well as deactivation of limbic structures (that regulate motivation
and emotional tone)2.
In other words, creative thinking was concentrated neither on the left nor right hemisphere,
but rather throughout the brain. Moreover, research with MRI scanners and creative
thinking has consistently shown that when creative people solve problems, far more of
their brains light up (that is, show activity) than is the case with non-creative thinkers.
However, Charles’ and Allen’s research did show that one part of the brain displayed less
activity than usual during the creative process: the dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral orbital
regions. This is the bit of the brain that acts as a censor, which evaluates activity and stops
us from saying or doing inappropriate things.
Brainstorming Rules in Your Brain
This is actually fascinating! What it means is that creative people’s brains basically follow
the broad rules of brainstorming. All ideas are welcome (this is why much of the brain
lights up) and no ideas are rejected during the idea generation process (this is why the
brain’s censor becomes less active).
In non-creative people, it is the other way around. Their brains do not follow brainstorming
rules. Instead, much less of their brains light up and their censors remain as active as
always. Incidentally, if you find it hard to come up with really creative ideas, it may be
partially because your dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral orbital regions are inhibiting
thinking. How often do you find yourself rejecting ideas because they are too silly, would
be laughed at by others or are just embarrassing? If this is the case, try tricking your
brain’s censors by purposely trying to generate absurd, outlandish and silly ideas, while
rejecting conventional ideas.
Don’t Restrict Your Thinking: Diversify It
This all confirms something you surely already know. When you want to be creative, you
do not want to restrict your thinking. Rather, you want to diversify it as much as possible.
One way to do that is to use both sides of your brain as much as possible, rather than
purposely try and use only one side, even if one side might be associated with elements of
creativity. Indeed, simply trying to favour one side of the brain over the other is clearly a
rather restrictive rule – the kind that is at odds with best brainstorming practice.
So, the next time someone suggests you participate in some right brain thinking, I suggest
you tell them: “No thank you. I’d prefer to use all of my brain!”
Jeffrey Baumgartner is the founder of the jpb.com companies, co-founder of the Brussels
Imagination Club, author of The Way of the Innovation Master and editor of the popular
Report 103 newsletter. He speaks and writes regularly on creativity and innovation. He will
be speaking at SA Innovation Summit in Johannesburg in August.
References:
1) Wikipedia Article on “Lateralization of brain function”,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateralization_of_brain_function
2) Limb CJ, Braun AR, 2008 Neural Substrates of Spontaneous Musical Performance: An
fMRI Study of Jazz Improvisation. PLoS ONE 3(2): e1679.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001679