Sometimes, ideas and concepts which are the brainchild of science diffuse into society and take up a cultural form, assuming a life of their own. For example, we know the Freudian concept of being ‘Anal’ does not stand on solid ground in contemporary psychology any more, but it’s a term we still love to use – whether in the correct context or not.

Similarly, the idea of being right-brained or left-brained is nothing more than a modern myth. Many of us have taken those online tests schooling us on right-brained and left-brained thinking, tapping into our young minds the notion that being right-brained makes us more creative, subjective and spontaneous while being left-brained means being more analytical, logical and objective. Is there any grounded scientific evidence to support this claim or is this nothing but a social construct and cultural fiction? Truth be told, this is all bunk, not validated by any scientific form.

Let’s take a look at the roots of this no longer valid theory, but before that let’s understand what exactly this theory conveys. According to this theory, each side of the brain controls a set of different functions referred to in psychology as the lateralisation of brain functions. Roger W. Sperry is said to be the originator of this theory in psychology. The Nobel Prize winning neuropsychologist, while studying the effects of epilepsy, discovered that cutting the corpus callosum, a structure made of neural fibres which connects the two hemispheres of the brain, can reduce or eliminate seizures in epileptic patients.

Sperry and other researchers conducted a series of well crafted studies on patients and established the involvement of the two brain hemispheres in math, drawing, language, arts and other various functions. They found out that when the two sides of the brain weren’t connected to one another, the patients reacted differently to stimuli, suggesting the two hemispheres of the brain control different functions. This finding was exaggerated and distorted by pop-psychology enthusiasts who maligned this theory into culminating the notion that personality and other behavioural characteristics are determined by the dominance of one side of the brain over the other.

This theory then goes on to state that abilities such as recognising faces, expressing emotions, music, reading emotions, colour, images, intuition and creativity are associated with the right side of the brain, while abilities such as language, logic, numbers, reasoning and critical reasoning are associated with the left side of the brain. The neuroscience community however, displays no evidence of ever validating this extension of Sperry’s original findings. In fact, most research conducted thereafter refutes these extensions to Sperry’s findings, but this does not mean what he found out was not substantial. It was his initial research which led to every further piece of evidence that was gathered under the subject of brain lateralisation.

This is a gist of what we know now: In a new, two year study, conducted by neuroscientists at the University of Utah and published in the neuroscience journal Plos One, researchers studied 1000 brains, aged between 7-29 years. The scientists divided the brain into 7000 different compartments or regions, while studying the lateralisation of the brain, and were able to establish how and why connections between the two hemispheres of the brains may be either strongly left or right lateralised. However, they found no evidence suggesting either hemisphere of the brain had any form of dominance over the other.

Despite all the evidence available refuting the left brained-right brained theory, this myth seems to stand as a popular psychological anomaly in academia. Human beings thrive on their ability to make simplified classifications and generalisations, labelling themselves and others around them. It is this societal failure which makes this theory so attractive because this way you are either an analytical headstrong left brainer or a free spirited care-free right brainer! This theory including all the other personality tests such as the Myers-Briggs test, with very low scientific evidence, provide us with explanations on who we are and why we are who we are.

While this may be a great ice breaker or a conversation starter, this theory in its simplistic form disregards the complexity of the brain structure and how exactly it functions. It doesn’t delve into the matrimony of the two hemispheres and how they partner every function that they handle. For example, mathematical problems are not solely controlled by the left hemisphere. The left side of the brain may support multiplication recitation while the right side of the brain may support counting ability. Most cognitive functions require the contribution of both the hemispheres. So, in effect, it takes two hemispheres to be logical or creative, intuitive or analytical, free spirited or headstrong. However, this involvement may not operate on a simultaneous level. There are some functions which the left brain may be more involved in as compared to the right side of the brain. For example, when it comes to language, the left brain is better at producing speech, but this does not mean the right brain is ‘non-verbal’. It merely means the left brain is more involved in speech while the right brain is more involved in comprehension ability, both the functions being sub-categories of the wider function of language. Additionally, this pattern may not even be true for all people.

We must realise the brain in its wondrous being works in an unfathomable way. It is highly malleable and keeps growing as it reorganises itself to make more and more connections between brain cells, modifying behaviour, adapting to changes and continually learning and developing, even into late adulthood. Let’s not underestimate the true potential of our brains by succumbing to buying into evidence-lacking, so-called psychological theories which are nothing short of being myths. The brain is a beautiful complex structure and as appealing as it is to break it down to understand its magnanimity, let’s do it justice by embracing its complexity.