In the 1930’s, an Oberlin College English major named Roger W. Sperry worked at a campus cafe and provided transportation for a physically disabled psychology professor. Sitting in on luncheons and meetings among eminent psychologists introduced him to a new world of how our brain affects the way we learn. Years, later he reached his goal of becoming a psychology professor and researcher.
Those cat lovers who are squeamish may not want to know that Sperry’s early research included dividing cats’ brains by splitting their corpus callosum. This white matter region of the brain contains nerves connecting gray matter on either side. This operation did not kill a cat but affected how visual information was transmitted to its brain. Recognition of items learned by viewing only with the left eye were forgotten when the patch was switched so the cat could only view with the right eye. Still, trying to track differences in the sides of a human brain is difficult. At least when studying normal people.
Sperry invited a handful of epileptic patients who previously had surgery to split the corpus callosum as his next set of “guinea pigs.” Of course, Sperry was not a brain surgeon, but he knew about this experimental surgery which seemed successful in lessening seizures affecting the patient’s ability to function. However, with the corpus callosum cut the cognitive abilities of these people changed slightly. These patients that had their left and right brain hemispheres disconnected were unable to name objects when viewed with only the right eye.
Most areas controlling speech may be on the left side for a right-handed person while they are split more evenly between the hemispheres of a left-handed individual.
Sperry received the 1981 Nobel Prize for split brain research, known as lateralization. An obvious but incorrect conclusion would be that language was processed on the left side of the brain. However, some further research shows that some functions such as understanding intonation and producing poetry, depend on areas in the right side of the brain. Evidently gray matter controlling speech exists in a scattered pattern all over our brains. The pattern is not uniform. Most areas controlling speech may be on the left side for a right-handed person while they are split more evenly between the hemispheres of a left-handed individual. [1]
Research on creativity has refuted the theory that our brains have a creative and logical side even though this idea has circulated since scientists discovered specific brain areas that controlled functions. As most the most critical areas for language production are on the left side, people assumed that half to be the seat of logic. However, the use of language can be creative as well. Innovative ideas exist in whatever part of the brain is used for a particular skill, be it language, math, or visuals. The main difference between the sides is the left hemisphere prefers processing visual “parts,” while the right hemisphere has an edge on analyzing visual “wholes.” [2]
How does this affect the craft of writing? Authors also alternate between concise text and that with a descriptive and poetic bent to it. Even the dialog shifts based on emotional tenor. Authors must alternate between the specifics of a scene and the entire plot. The brain hemispheres are not divided predominantly between emotion and logic. Engaging both halves is still required for quality writing.
Photo of Texas A&M Academic Building by K.N.Listman
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