Re: Thumb over thumb test... Left or right brained

There has been a "test" going around, which I think is incorrect, but I'm not sure. The test says: Put your hands together and fold your fingers, like you were praying. If your right thumb goes on top, you are left- brained. If your left thumb goes on top you are right brained. The reason why I think this is false is because there has been many sites that contradicted with this test. First of all, I'm a lefty. Second of all, I'm actually very creative, and I'm moderately good with mathematics, etc. However, my right thumb goes about my left one. So, is the test legitimate?

Hi Jimmy,
I'd be awfully suspicious of a test like this telling you anything meaningful. If anything, I think it'd better reflect whether you're right-handed versus left-handed. And being that you're a lefty, it'd make sense that your right thumb ends up on top..
     But there is something to consider - for some lefties, they are like right-handed people in that the left brain is the 'analytical' side and the right is the 'interpretive' side. However, some lefties have it switched! The 'analytical' side is the right and the 'intepretive' side on the left. So *if* the test could predict brain-sided-ness, an exception would be required for lefties. So consider yourself exceptional!

     A quick note, though - the right versus left brain dichotomy is a bit overblown among society (lefties aside). It's true that one side is more analytical and the other intepretive. The classic example of what the left brain versus right brain does is seen with speech. We generate and recognize our words and sentences using our left brain. And then our right brain interprets the tone and affect of the voice (for things like humor, anger, sarcasm). The right brain also picks up on body language much more. So a typical (right-handed) person with a left brain injury won't be able to speak fluidly or intelligably, but they'll be able to properly pick up if someone is making a joke, being sarcastic, etc. But if that person got a right brain injury instead, they'd be able to understand all the words, but wouldn't pick up on the tone or body language. Some more info on this "lateralization of brain function" can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_brain. (Check out the references and soruces for more info)

     However, how this gets discussed in terms of arts, creativity, etc, can get a bit hairy when you considered the brain-sided-ness of artists. We often think of music and art as being right brained. It turns out that many musicians become very left-brained when it comes to music. That's because they have to be analytical about how they play a piece, think of how the notes go, etc; it's similar to forming a sentence. Perhaps their general right-braininess got them into music in the first place, but when it comes to producing and listening to music, it can be a very left-brained operation. I expect the same probably applies to other arts.
     It is possible, however, the really creative types may be on the more 'right brain' spectrum, whereas the virtuoso instrumentalists may be more left. I haven't seen any studies on this idea.

     So, in sum, don't let a thumb test tell you whether you are or are not creative! Continue enjoying your creativity.

cheers,
Alex

     P.S. - Some info on the left-brain function of musicians can be found at the website for the Institute of Music and Brain Science.
http: //www.brainmusic.org/EducationalActivitiesFolder/SelectedReadings.html#musicians
These are research articles, and are pretty dense. But each article has an initial summary paragraph that will tell you the main points of the article.