Realizations Inc

©Arlene R. Taylor PhD     Realizations Inc

The term brain lead refers to the type of brain you possess in terms of the way in which it processes specific types of information. It describes the way your brain pays attention to and manages data and identifies your brain’s innate energy advantage in one of the four natural divisions of the cerebrum over the other three.

Studies have shown that the brain “runs cooler” when it is thinking and using functions that draw primarily on its lead division. The brain expends less energy (e.g., requires less oxygen, glucose, and micronutrition, and has a shorter recovery time) when using its brain-lead functions.

Neurochemically, this means that when you are thinking using primarily your brain’s division of innate giftedness:

• There is a reduced resistance to transmission of information across the synaptic gap

• There may be more rapid firing across the neuronal pathways

• Processes tend to require lower levels of energy expenditures

• That portion of the brain actually “run cooler”

The cerebrum or thinking-brain layer is the largest chunk of tissue housed within the bony skull. It is constantly at work even though only a small percentage (5% by some estimates) of its activities surface to conscious awareness. The brain is not a simple organ but that hasn’t stopped people from trying to understand its functions! It has been said rather succinctly that if the human brain was simple enough for us to understand it we would be so simple we couldn’t. 

Quadrantal Models

Over the centuries, a variety of models have been developed in an effort to enhance our understanding of brain function. Although no model is completely adequate, because the human brain is so complex, models can help explain things that cannot be easily or directly observed. It is interesting to note that a quadrantal pattern has been used in a variety of descriptive models from as early as the 2nd Century BC.

Galen (200 A.D.)

Native American Medicine Wheel

Carl Gustav Jung (other models based on Jung’s include Myers-Briggs 192; Drake-Beam-Morin, 1972; Keirsey-Bates, 1978)

Ned Herrmann

Irwin Thomson’s Archetypes in History

(Additional examples may be found on Taylor’s website under Models).

Brain Anatomy and Functions

Natural fissures divide the human brain (also referred to as the cerebrum, gray matter, cortex or neo-cortex) into the left and right hemisphere. Natural fissures in each hemisphere create a total of four divisions.

The two frontal divisions consist of one large lobe each:

• Left Frontal Lobe
• Right Frontal Lobe

The two posterior divisions (Left Posterior Lobes or Basal Left, and Right Posterior Lobes or Basal Right) consist of three smaller lobes each:

• Parietal lobes - decode data received through touch, taste, and position
• Occipital lobes - decode data received through the eyes
• Temporal lobes - decode data received through sound.

Brain Lead is Natural

PET Scans suggest that brain lead is natural. According to Benziger, brain-function is best managed from a position of conscious awareness and choice. For purposes of discussion say that you have a right-hand preference and expend less energy doing tasks that utilize your right hand (e.g., pounding nails, using a utensil to eat food). Now imagine that you break your right arm and end up wearing a cast for six weeks while the bones heal. You can learn to do many of those same tasks using your left hand. At first it may be extremely awkward. With practice however, you learn to do some of them very well, although you may always be aware at some level that it doesn’t “seem as natural.” When the cast is removed and you become accustomed to using your right arm again, you tend to revert almost automatically to using that right arm. It is a relief, gives you a sense of comfort, and utilizes less energy (although you still maintain some sense of developed competence with the opposite arm).

According to conversations with Benziger, biochemical energy advantage may be fairly evenly distributed across the population base by cerebral division, at least in the North America, although there is no way to be sure of this. When separated by gender, however, some differences appear in the studies that have been done. For example, slightly more males appear to have an innate brain lead in the Left Frontal Lobe (e.g., five males to three females) and slightly more females appear to have an innate brain lead in the Right Posterior Lobes (e.g., five females to three males).

Note: This does not mean that these individuals are necessarily living authentically and congruently with their brain’s energy advantage. Benziger’s studies have estimated that 80% of adults in North America have built their skills in the left hemisphere and are trying to live as “left brainers,” regardless of their own innate giftedness, due to expectations and pressure from family, school, religion, business, etc., as well as available opportunities.

Societal Rewards by Gender

In general it appears that males are primarily rewarded for skills built in the Left Frontal Lobe. So many males try to build these skills, whether or not they have a FL lead.

Females are primarily rewarded for skills built in the Right Basal Division. So many females try to build these skills, whether or not they have an innate BR lead.

Skills that utilize the Left Basal Division are often emphasized in industrialized America, so many males and females work hard to build some of these skills.

Regardless of gender, few are rewarded for skills built in the Frontal Right Lobe during their lifetime.

Correlation Examples

Following are some correlations with the four cerebral divisions (some based on Benziger’s work).

Archetype

Values 

Language

Use of Language (Quotes as Examples)

Mode of Communications

Refer to Adaption and Falsification of Type and to Prolonged Adaption Stress Syndrome for additional information.