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Learn about me & my missionMay 06th, 2010 | On Brain Hemispheres
This text was fully written by a human.
- Today, I was struck by the observation that 95% of attendees at a physics seminar sat on the right side of the auditorium. This was contrary to the cognitive psychology principle suggesting analytical minds prefer the left side for better focus, which is managed by the left hemisphere. According to Nielsen et al. (2013), a large-scale resting-state neuroimaging analysis found no evidence that individuals are consistently “left-brained” or “right-brained.” Therefore, any seating-side pattern is unlikely to reflect true hemispheric dominance.
- This seating pattern aligns with my past experiences, where math enthusiasts favored the left side, while humanists preferred the right. However, this trend reversed in psychology classes, suggesting an influence beyond cognitive preferences.
- I suspect that the authority figure’s consistent placement on the right side of the room, akin to Milgram’s authority influence, subtly guides students’ seating choices. This might impact their cognitive processing and potentially even the quality of their written work over time. According to Milgram (1963), people readily defer to perceived authority figures. This happens even when it shapes their behavior in ways they do not consciously register.
How Did the Auditorium Make Me Think Today?
I planned to write on Fridays, but I couldn’t resist and started now; that’s just how I am sometimes. The inspiration came from a physics seminar today, and out of boredom, I noticed something interesting.
About 95% of the attendees were sitting on the right side of the auditorium. This struck me as unusual. This is because, according to cognitive psychology principles, people with analytical minds often prefer the left side of the lecture hall.
This choice allows them to naturally focus on what’s in their right field of vision. Furthermore, this right field of vision is managed by the dominant left hemisphere of the brain.
This pattern was clear back in elementary and high school. Math enthusiasts usually sat on the left side, while humanists gathered on the right.
This trend continued in college, with math lectures showing a slight preference for the left side. Even though the entrance was on the right, students instinctively preferred the left. Interestingly, this pattern reversed in psychology classes, defying the theory.
According to Lindell and Kidd (2011), the left-brain/right-brain hemisphericity myth was debunked in the scientific literature decades ago. However, it persists in educational settings.
What Does the Physics Seminar’s Seating Pattern Reveal?
There’s one seminar at the Faculty of Physics that challenges the pattern I’ve observed. I think the answer lies in the influence of authority, much like Milgram’s famous experiment.
According to Benedict and Hoag (2004), seating location in lecture halls is measurably linked to course performance. Nonetheless, the direction of causality remains debated.
Curiously, the head of the specialization always sits on the right, and this tradition has been ongoing for years. This influences students’ seating choices unconsciously.
For example, students like me often end up on the opposite side. The result? The room ends up crowded on one side and emptier on the other, reminiscent of the scene in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”
I could sit in the front row on the other side for a better view, but it somehow feels wrong.
Could Seating Shape How Scientists Write?
Another intriguing idea would be to observe two groups of scientists after a few years. One group would sit wherever they like, and the other would be subtly guided to the right side during lectures. Both groups would then write essays on a specific topic, assessed by an impartial linguist.
It’s possible that those influenced to sit on the right might produce more polished essays on average. Whether they realize it or not, they’d have been stimulating their right hemisphere over time.
Please cite as:
Bielczyk, N.
(2010, May 6th). On Brain Hemispheres. Retrieved from: https://nataliabielczyk.com/on-brain-hemispheres/
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