The Square Life

My dad carries a calculator in his pocket—he likes numbers. And my neighbor can tickle the ivories like Beethoven—she loves music. Have you wondered if the reason people lean towards certain abilities is because they’re “right-or left-brained?” Well, there’s no truth to that. “It is true that different parts of the brain do different things, but in general, any simple task you do you’ll use your whole brain,” said Michael Brown, professor of neuroscience at BYU.

The brain has two hemispheres—a right and a left—and even though some people think we only use one or the other, research proves that just isn’t true. What is true is that one particular brain hemisphere tends to have the most control over certain learning areas. The left brain generally controls language, math, and logic; the right brain takes care of face recognition, visual imagery and music. “If you’re really good at math and logic…[both] your left and right hemispheres [probably] participate in math and logic,” Brown said.

But don’t fear—although your brain’s composition makes some things easier than others, you can train it to think more clearly. “The brain is very plastic,” Brown said. “What that means is that it’s changeable.” When certain connections in the brain haven’t been used in awhile, they weaken. But if you practice a certain type of thinking, that connection in your brain will become stronger—and what once was a weakness can become a strength.

Brown said that actively thinking instead of passively absorbing things can make a big difference. “Constantly question, constantly apply your knowledge,” Brown stated.