Differences Between Left & Right Hemisphere

The human brain is divided into two halves, or hemispheres. Each hemisphere processes information differently; their combined efforts are what make our brains so powerful, and help explain why an artist and a mathematician see the world so differently.

Identity

The left hemisphere uses words and labels to give names to objects. It says, "This is a ..."
The right hemisphere uses pictures and symbols to identify things. It says, "This represents a ..."

Reasoning

"What happens next?" That is a question the left hemisphere asks, because it uses logic and reason to describe the world. The right hemisphere, by comparison, asks "What are the possibilities?" It uses feeling and intuition to see what could be.

Communication

The left hemisphere recognizes objects and gives names to them, while the right hemisphere figures out how these things can be used. You might say that the right hemisphere is the tool-making part of the brain.

Organization

Patterns are the specialty of the left hemisphere. It sees numbers and places. For example: "There are this many objects, and they are arranged in this way."
The right hemisphere, on the other hand, sees relationships and concepts. For example: "These items belong together, and those items do not."

Comprehension

The left hemisphere sees individual components and details, and the right hemisphere sees an overview of the complete picture. You might say the left hemisphere sees only the trees, and the right sees only the forest.

References

• Comparison of Left and Right Brain Functions
• How the Hemispheres Affect Learning
• Comparison of Hemisphere Theories

Resources

• Hemisphere Dominance Test