"Left-brained" analytical thinkers are a myth. The idea that one hemisphere dominates math while the other handles creativity is scientifically unsupported because cognitive tasks always rely on integrated hemispheric cooperation.
Paper: Review on the Prevalence and Persistence of Neuromyths in Education
Have you heard someone describe themselves as more left-brained or right-brained?
The idea that one hemisphere dominates analytical thinking while the other handles creativity is appealing but not actually supported by neuroscience. This myth emerged because certain functions like language typically activate specific brain areas, especially in the left hemisphere for right-handed individuals.
However, brain imaging studies show that all cognitive tasks, from reading to problem-solving, utilize extensive neural networks across both brain hemispheres.
Even tasks once thought to be hemisphere-specific, like language, require constant interhemispheric communication through numerous nerve connections. For instance, when understanding spoken language, your brain employs the left hemisphere to decode words while simultaneously using the right hemisphere to grasp emotional tones or context.
The myth persists because it's comforting to simplify complex human abilities into neat categories. However, recognizing that the brain operates through cooperative hemispheric interaction rather than isolated dominance promotes better educational strategies.
This, along with the "I'm a visual learner" myth, are my two favorite neuromyths in education. It's also fun to learn that this myth is partially inspired by the fascinating split‑brain cases I noted before.