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In a digital age dominated by viral content, brain hemisphere dominance theories continue to capture public imagination despite lacking scientific support. A recent claim gaining traction on social media suggests that a simple hand-clasping test can reveal your dominant brain side and, consequently, your ideal career path.
The viral Instagram reel, created by Rajneesh Upreti, founder of BimaSchool, demonstrates what he calls a simple determinant of brain dominance: clasp your hands together and observe which thumb rests on top. According to Upreti, “If your right thumb is up, then your left brain is more active, which means you are more logical. And if your left thumb is up, then your right brain is more active, which means you are more intuitive and emotions drive you.”
The reel goes on to claim that left-brain dominance indicates aptitude for numbers, logic, and mathematics, while right-brain dominance suggests talents in imagination, music, intuition, and creativity.
Neuroscientists, however, reject this oversimplified view of brain function. Dr. Viswanathan Iyer, Neurosurgeon at Zynova Shalby Hospital in Mumbai, explains that such rudimentary tests cannot accurately determine brain dominance.
“Such a simple test cannot determine which side of the brain is dominant. There are complex psychometric tests and questionnaires to determine this,” Dr. Iyer clarifies. He emphasizes that modern neuroscience has moved beyond the strict binary concept of left-brain versus right-brain dominance that was popularized in mid-20th century research.
The human brain’s complexity lies in its interconnectedness. Both hemispheres communicate constantly through the corpus callosum, a thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects them. This collaboration is essential for performing even basic cognitive functions, and becomes even more critical for complex tasks like mathematical reasoning or creative expression.
“Today, neuroscientists know the two sides of the brain collaborate to perform a broad variety of tasks and communicate constantly,” says Dr. Iyer. While certain functions may have some degree of lateralization—language processing tends to occur more in the left hemisphere for most people, while spatial attention often involves more right hemisphere activity—this doesn’t translate to overall dominance or personality types.
Contemporary brain imaging studies have consistently failed to find evidence supporting the notion that individuals are predominantly “left-brained” or “right-brained.” A 2013 study from the University of Utah that analyzed brain scans from more than 1,000 people found no evidence that individuals use one side of their brain more than the other.
The implications extend beyond social media curiosity. Career development experts warn that making educational or professional decisions based on such unscientific classifications could limit personal growth and opportunities. Career choices are influenced by a complex interplay of factors including interests, aptitudes, education, socioeconomic background, and market demands—not by which thumb naturally rests atop the other when hands are clasped.
“The concept that career paths are determined by being ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is a persistent myth and a vast oversimplification of brain lateralisation,” Dr. Iyer concludes.
This distinction matters in an era where misinformation can spread rapidly through social platforms. While simplified explanations of human behavior may be appealing, they rarely capture the true complexity of neurological processes or human potential.
The persistence of such theories, despite being debunked by neuroscience, demonstrates how intuitively appealing it can be to categorize complex human traits into simple binaries—even when science tells us that reality is far more nuanced.
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14 Comments
This hand-clasping test is yet another example of a pseudoscientific claim gaining traction online, despite lacking scientific validity. Neuroscientists are right to reject it as an overly simplistic view of brain function and human abilities.
Agreed. The brain’s hemispheres work together in an integrated way, and our talents emerge from the complex interplay of various neural networks, not a single dominant side. We need to be critical consumers of viral content making exaggerated claims about abilities.
This viral hand-clasping test seems to be another example of a pseudoscientific claim gaining traction online. Neuroscientists are right to dismiss it as an oversimplified view of how the brain works.
Yes, it’s important to be critical of such simplistic tests and the viral claims made about them. The brain is a remarkably complex organ, and our abilities can’t be reduced to a single binary measure like this.
Interesting that this hand-clasping test is gaining traction, but neuroscientists have rightly dismissed it as an oversimplified view of brain function. Dominance in one hemisphere doesn’t necessarily dictate our talents or career paths.
Agreed. The brain is much more complex than a simple thumb positioning test can reveal. We should be wary of viral content making exaggerated claims about abilities based on unproven theories.
While the hand-clasping test may be intriguing, it’s clear from the experts’ comments that it doesn’t accurately reflect the true complexity of brain function. We should be wary of making assumptions based on such rudimentary assessments.
Absolutely. The brain’s hemispheres work together in an integrated way, and our skills and talents emerge from the dynamic interplay of various neural networks, not a single dominant side.
While the hand-clasping test may seem intriguing, it’s clear that neuroscientists have rightly dismissed it as an oversimplified view of brain function. Our abilities and talents arise from the dynamic interplay of various neural networks, not a single dominant hemisphere.
Absolutely. The brain is far more complex than a simple thumb positioning test can reveal. We should be wary of making assumptions about our skills and career paths based on such unproven theories.
It’s concerning to see a simplistic hand test like this gaining traction, especially when neuroscientists have clearly dismissed it as an oversimplified view of brain function. We should be cautious about making claims about abilities based on such unproven theories.
Completely agree. The brain is a remarkably complex organ, and our talents and skills can’t be boiled down to a single binary measure. We need to be critical of viral content making exaggerated claims about abilities based on dubious pseudo-science.
While the idea of determining brain hemisphere dominance through a hand test is intriguing, it’s important to remember that the brain is far more complex than a single binary trait. Oversimplified theories often lack scientific validity.
Absolutely. The brain’s functions are highly integrated across both hemispheres, and our skills and talents arise from the complex interplay of various neural networks, not a single dominant side.