1. Hemispheric Differences
Module 8: The Brain

2. The Right Brain vs Left Brain test
do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?
If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa. Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

3. Take the Wagner Preference Inventory
Scoring: add the number of times each letter is selected. Enter the totals in the large cells in the quadrant at the bottom of the handout. Below the quadrant are two rectangles for total left and right scores obtained by adding (a) and (b) for the left score and © and (d) for the right score.
A difference of three points (expressed as a ratio) between L and R is needed to show a significant difference between the functioning of the two hemispheres.
Example: dominant left brain = would be 11/1. Balanced would be 5/7

4. Hemispheric Differences
“Left-brained” and “right-brained” debunked
Brain is divided into two hemispheres but works as a single entity.
Both sides continually communicate via the corpus callosum, except in those with split brains.

5. Hemispheric Differences: Language and Spatial Abilities
Module 8: The Brain

6. Cerebral Dominance Left Hemisphere – Dominant for:
Right Hemisphere – Dominant for:
Spatial abilities (piecing together a puzzle, arranging blocks to match designs, reading maps)
Face recognition
Interpreting gestures
Visual imagery
Music
Left Hemisphere – Dominant for:
Language
Math
Logic
Problem Solving – asking questions about the world – making connections.
Each hemisphere of the brain is dominant for specific behaviors. This does not mean they “control” these completely. Functions largely overlap – quickly crosses the corpus callosum.

7. Specialization
Broca’s Area – (expressive language) plays a role in production of speech (with motor cortex)
If damaged the person can form the ideas but cannot turn those ideas into coherent speech
Wernicke’s Area – (receptive language) enables us to understand the spoken and written language.

8. PET Scan of Broca’s Area

10. Broca’s Area
This is the brain of “Tal” from whom Broca discovered the area for speech Note the damage to Broca’s Area.

11. Wernicke’s Area Located in the temporal lobe
Involved in language comprehension and expression; our ability to understand what is said to us
Usually in the left temporal lobe

13. PET Scan of Wernicke’s Area

14. The Brain’s Right Hemisphere
Houses the brain’s spatial abilities
Our spatial ability allows us to perceive or organize things in a given space, judge distance, etc.
Helps in making connections between words

15. Split-Brain Research Came from epileptic patients
Two hemispheres work independently.
Left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.
Somatosensory cortex in the right hemisphere processes sensation from the left side of the body (left processes information from the right)
The left & right share the information which each other in normal brains.

16. Brain Plasticity
Module 8: The Brain

17. Plasticity The ability of the brain tissue to take on new functions
Greatest in childhood
Important if parts of the brain are damaged or destroyed