Critical Review of the Right Brain vs. Left Brain Neuromyth: Origins, Evidence, and Educational Implications
Overview
This critical review examines the right brain vs. left brain neuromyth, tracing its origins to the split-brain research of Sperry and Gazzaniga in the 1960s-1970s. The paper argues that while the original research was groundbreaking, it was misinterpreted to create an unfounded myth claiming hemispheric dominance determines personality and cognitive abilities. The author reviews current neuroscience literature to disprove this myth and highlight its problematic implementation in educational institutions.
What this literature review covers
- Abstract: Overview of the neuromyth and thesis that the concept is not plausible in educational settings
- Critical Review: Explanation of the myth's claims, origins in split-brain research, and implications for brain-based learning
- Key terminology definitions: Neuromyths, neuroscience, processing, and hemispheric dominance
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Critical Review
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Abstract
The right brain vs. left brain topic is a popular brain myth that theorizes that everyone has a dominant brain hemisphere that determined their personality and ability. The neuromyth emerged in the 1970s and continues to be implemented in many education institutions. However, the concept is derived from an erroneous understanding of brain functioning and cannot be a plausible concept in schools and universities. This essay will conduct a critical review of current literature on brain neurology, the origins of and the evidence against the right brain vs. left brain topic. The essay will argue against the neuromyth by looking for literature that disproves the “right brain vs. left brain” myth. It will begin by tracing the history of brain lateralization and hemisphere dominance and then explore how the concepts of brain neurology have changed across time. It will focus on the brain-split experiments of the 1960s to 1970s to uncover the origins of the neuromyth as well as the reasons why it is not a feasible concept.
Critical Review
According to the right brain vs. left brain myth, people with a dominant left hemisphere of the brain tend to be rational, logical, and structured in their thinking while those with a dominant right hemisphere of the brain tend to be emotional, fluid, and spontaneous in their thinking.