10drxtcMEMBERWOLFPACKFAMILY LORD MASTERM...'s blog: "P.H.D. certified tests"

Merritt, you are Balanced-brained, which means that you rely equally on both the left and right hemispheres of your brain. You have a balanced brain — able to draw on the strengths of both the right and left hemispheres depending on context. Typically, people with balanced right and left hemispheres are very comfortable with switching between local and global perspectives — that is, paying attention to both small details and larger issues when the circumstance indicates. That means they can identify elements that make up an image or situation and also attend to the larger, more holistic pattern or unified whole that those details comprise. You are able to capitalize on the left hemisphere's skills in verbal communication as well on the right hemisphere's focus on patterns and association making. This rare combination makes you a very creative and flexible thinker. Depending on the situation, you may rely on one hemisphere or the other. Some situations may lend themselves to using your right brain's creativity and flexibility while other situations may call for a more structured approach as dictated by your left brain. That's how your brain processes information. And while your dominant brain hemisphere certainly contributes to the way you process information, there is also a style of learning, unrelated to your dominant hemisphere, that determines the ways in which you are best able to pick up information. When you're learning something new, your dominant brain hemisphere will want to take over. But there are times when the information being presented is not well suited to your dominant hemisphere's abilities. That's why, in addition to your hemispheric dominance, you also have a style of learning that is dominant for you. Whether you know it or not, you are naturally predisposed to learning things visually, aurally, or through a combination of the two. Your test results show that you are an auditory learner. Other balanced-brained people who are auditory learners are pop singer Madonna, classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and comedian and actor Robin Williams. But before delving deeper into how you learn, you should get the basics of your brain's physiology. Your brain type The physiology of your brain Questions explanation History behind the test For More Reading Your brain is made up of many different parts and is responsible for many different functions of your body. Because of this, it has adapted to be a very specialized organ. There are parts that control what you taste, what you feel, how you learn, how you think, and how you reason. All of this is so no one part gets overtaxed or worn out, and also so you can perform more than one task at a time. Your brain stem controls your reflexes and involuntary functions such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. Your cerebellum helps coordinate movement. Your hypothalamus controls body temperature and feeds behaviors like eating, drinking, aggression, and physical pleasure. Your cerebrum, or cerebral cortex, translates information transmitted from all of your sensing organs. It helps start motor functions, it controls emotions, and it is the center for all thinking, reasoning, learning, and memory. In short, it analyzes all information you feed to it. The cerebral cortex is divided into two hemispheres. The left hemisphere is responsible for speech, controls the right side of your body, and serves as your logic and reasoning center. The right hemisphere governs your creativity and your athleticism among other things. In the past, people oversimplified this relationship. People used to say if you were logical, you were definitely left-brained, and if you were creative, you were definitely right-brained. This is no longer the case. New research indicates that there's more flexibility when it comes to our gray matter. And if you know where your strengths and weaknesses lie, you can train your brain to become more organized, creative, or better able to process all sorts of information. Here's some general information on the differences between the left and right hemispheres. Left hemisphere There's more to your left hemisphere than analytical strength. Your left hemisphere is involved in linear analytical processes, including processing word meanings and symbols, interpreting facts, and much of your language production and reception. When you look at a photograph or a painting, your left hemisphere is the one that orients on the logical, linear, and literal action in the picture, such as the storyline or the characters in the picture, as opposed to the more abstract or conceptual elements. Furthermore, when you hear a word, it is the left side that decodes that word's meaning, as opposed to something that word might remind you of. Overall, the left hemisphere is heavily involved in more reductionistic processes, such as breaking a picture into its constituent parts, as opposed to seeing it as a single and unified whole. Right hemisphere Similarly, the right hemisphere is not just the seat of intuition. Perhaps it is more intuitively oriented than the left, but in most cases it also identifies patterns and performs spatial analyses. This hemisphere tends to process information in non-linear ways, looking at the whole instead of all the parts that make it up. When you look at a photograph or painting and notice the overall pattern or abstract contour of the image, it is your right hemisphere that is being activated. As another example, the right side looks at a spiral and sees a unified spiral pattern. Whereas the left side of your brain would see the series of lines making up the spiral and would interpret it in a holistic manner. Strengthening the left hemisphere: making the details count A strong left hemisphere gives one the ability to view a project, a problem, or a situation in an up-close, detailed, and linear way. In order to do so, it requires being able to get very involved in what you are doing, temporarily not paying explicit immediate attention to anything else in your life that may have to get done. Make lists One method of getting into the details is to outline what must be done. Converting something that seems like a giant, singular task into a series of smaller, bite-size chunks is an excellent way to not only engage one's left hemisphere, but also to overcome apparently impossible hurdles. It is important to remember that projects do not get done by themselves, but rather through slow and bit-by-bit progress, getting through what must be done. Learn to consciously relax If your goal is to change the way you use your mind, then you are necessarily going to have to change the way you use your entire body. Before trying to get anything done, get yourself into a comfortable but unfamiliar frame of mind by doing something different with your body. Go for a walk, water some plants, make tea, do some exercise — anything that involves moving your body, and not just sitting and stewing over what you have to accomplish. While working, continue checking in with your body's relative level of tension or relaxation. A tense body leads to a tense mind, and a tense mind thinks in its old ways — how it is used to thinking. Verbalization after long periods of silence can also snap you out of your familiar funk — go someplace where you can stretch your mouth, vocal chords, and body, and stretch on out. The more physically flexible you focus upon being, the more mental flexibility you will find yourself capable of. Pay attention to details While out walking — to your car, the bus, work, or what have you — be sure to notice the details surrounding you. Where are you? The left hemisphere is all about details and linear thinking. Connect yourself to your immediate environment; are there flowers growing nearby? Is anyone walking their dog? Are other people smiling? There are many other things going on in the world while you are lost in thought or concerned about the presentation you have to give. Another way to focus your mind upon details is to engage in mental gymnastics, such as trying to think of every prime number between 1 and 100 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11...). Such a process will get you to pay attention to the minute details since the focus of such an exercise is upon each and every individual number between 1 and 100. Alternately, you could recite the alphabet backwards, or count to 20 by adding 2 to each number and then subtracting 1, all the way (1, 3, 2, 4, 3, 5, 4, 6...). These sorts of mental exercises take familiar sequences of information — numbers, letters or what have you - and have you relate to them in an unfamiliar way, thereby ensuring that you see each element as distinct and individual. Change your immediate environment Another way of focusing upon details is changing something in your immediate environment. If you work from home, rearrange the room where you work. If you work elsewhere, try to beautify your workspace with little details that make you feel at ease. Add plants or something else that you find calming and enjoyable. You may not know it, but work and living space hugely affects the way you do things. Changing where you are offers you the opportunity to change how you think, as your mind will not have its familiar environment to cue it into its old ways of doing things. Your world is made up of a wide variety of tiny, not-so-insignificant details. Strengthening the left hemisphere is all about focusing upon these details. Strengthening the right hemisphere: don't drown in the details A strong right hemisphere, on the other hand, offers one the ability to zoom out and see the bigger picture. When you're drowning in the details, it is this ability to zoom out that will be your saving grace. Again, learn to consciously relax You will never be able to change your own mind until you can reliably learn to relax. Changing the way you think is no overnight process; it requires constant attention. Getting yourself into a relaxed state will make your mind more receptive to change, and thus you will find it much easier to cognitively re-train yourself. The suggestions for relaxation in the section on strengthening your left hemisphere apply here as well. Do yoga, go running, go for a walk, or even just stand up and do five minutes of stretching. Using caffeine is not highly recommended, since stimulants — especially coffee — actually end up making the muscles in your body tense up and your blood pressure slowly rise over the course of the day. Have your cup of coffee in the morning if you enjoy it, but try to drink plenty of water over the course of the day, as well. If you keep good fluids moving through your body, then your body will remain active and attentive throughout the day. Keep the bigger picture in mind When working through a problem, you are necessarily going to be dealing with a series of tiny details. Alternately, we have all, at one time or another, felt like a cog in a giant machine. The reality is that everyone has an important job to do, and everyone fits into the greater scheme in some way — but we all have a responsibility to realize how we fit in and to take an active role in that process. This is true regardless of whether we are discussing one project, someone's life at work in general, or someone's life as a whole. Meditation Creative visualizations can help you in this process. Meditation is an excellent way to learn to view the world in a more holistic manner. Find a quiet, dimly lit room — preferably with no music on, but if you prefer feel free to put on something soft and soothing — and sit in a comfortable cross-legged or reclining position. Close your eyes, and just lie there, paying attention to your slow, smooth breathing for about twenty minutes. Do not get discouraged by the many thoughts bubbling up as you sit or lie there; that is perfectly normal. The longer your stay still, the longer the periods of mental silence will become. Allow thoughts to bubble up and wander away; simply pay attention. Let happen whatever happens. Slowly, your focus will shift to a unified whole, seeing yourself in the full context in which you are actually currently existing. There are a wide variety of meditation techniques, and you might find it useful to study up on it in order to find the technique most suited to your taste and personality. Just remember that the point is to quiet the mind, since the mind's chatter is most likely the primary thing keeping you from holistically focusing on the world around you at any given time. The right hemisphere's abilities are strengthened by allowing the right brain to flex itself. Your conscious mind needs to learn to allow your spatial and holistic, much more unconscious, right brain mind to do its work. Meditating and quieting the chatter in your mind is one reliable road to right hemispheric strength. Attempt spatial rotation tasks The right hemisphere is heavily involved in spatial tasks, as well as in holistic vision. Even games like Tetris can help strengthen our abilities to move objects around in space. Learn to imagine objects moving — perhaps while meditating — and see if you can imagine them rotating, so that you can see all sides of the object in question. Try this with simple objects, such as pieces of chalk or pencils at first. If you find it easy, move on to more complex objects, such as plates, tires, or glasses. See how long you can hold a clear image of an object in your mind. The meditative techniques described above can also help to improve these visualization abilities. Learn to trust your mind The bottom line about the right hemisphere is that, if you find yourself weak in right hemispheric abilities, it is probably because you have not learned to allow your right hemisphere to do its work. This is not to say that your right hemisphere does not function correctly — it is more likely that many of us are afraid of doing math because we became frightened off of it at a young age and never were encouraged to go back to it. Your mind has amazing abilities. The human brain is one of the most amazing and complex organs in nature. Learning to view the world in holistic, right brain ways is not necessarily easy, but it is very possible and can even ultimately be a relaxing and enjoyable process. Your brain type The physiology of your brain Questions explanation History behind the test For More Reading Learning styles We are all different, and that applies to how we learn information, as well. Research has found that the two major categories of learners, are those who learn best in visual ways and those who work better in auditory ways. Your learning style is determined primarily by your brain — whether it relies more on your eyes or your ears to comprehend new data. Those who respond better to what they see are visual learners. Those who respond better to what they hear are auditory learners. Those who are equally as good at interpreting data that they see and hear are known as “balanced” learners. Balanced learners will recognize aspects of what they're good at in both the visual and auditory learning style descriptions. Of course, everyone relies on their eyes at some times and their ears at others. But when faced with new information, the majority of people fall back on their dominant learning style. And as more is being studied about learning styles, some substyles are being identified, such as kinesthetic, the learning style that relies on learning by doing. Visual Visual learners focus on information their eyes pick up when trying to learn new information. They learn best when they rely on visual patterns because they prefer to “see” what they are learning more than “hear” what they are learning. They respond well to symbols, written words, images, diagrams, and photos. For this reason, they probably like to have a pen and paper around to take notes, to doodle in a meeting, or to try to synthesize other data. Drawings and pictorial representations often support the information they are receiving aurally and ultimately are what might anchor their knowledge to a given subject. Even if visual learners have printed material in front of them, they still might wish to take additional notes, to add marks to the paper in order to feel they are learning what they need to. It's likely that visual learners prefer to write a phone number down and try to memorize the numbers on a page or the pattern they create when dialing instead of listening to the number and repeating it. They remember by writing things down and communicate well in this mode. Visual learners are often better at getting their points across through the written, more than the spoken word. This isn't to say they don't ever rely on their ears instead of their eyes. Of course there are numerous instances, which call for them to do so. All this really means is that they're predisposed to learning through their sight. About 65% of people are visual learners. Auditory Auditory learners tend to focus on auditory stimuli — things that they hear — when learning new information. They probably get a lot out of lectures and are able to process speeches quickly and accurately. In fact, readings might not make as much sense to them until they've heard a supporting lecture to emphasize the written word and they're more likely to listen to a lecture first and then take notes once they've processed the information. Auditory learners probably prefer to speak someone's phone number out loud to memorize it than bother with writing it on a piece of paper they're going to lose anyway. They remember things by repeating them and probably prefer hearing instructions instead of wading through a written set of rules and directions. Auditory learners are better at making their points through talking rather than writing. This isn't to say they don't ever rely on their eyes instead of their ears. Of course there are numerous instances, which call for them to do so. All this really means is that they're predisposed to learning through hearing. This in part is what makes most auditory learners strong communicators, adept at socializing and communicating in face-to-face situations. About 30% of people are auditory learners. Kinesthetic Kinesthetic learners tend to make choices based on touch and movement through space. They tend to learn best by imitation and practice. While kinesthetic is acknowledged as a viable type of learning, it has yet to be examined as extensively as auditory and visual learning. That said, it is an important style for you to understand as it is certain to gain more recognition beyond the educational community in years to come. Most of us are predominantly kinesthetic learners as fairly young children. We then develop into visual or auditory learners as our nervous systems develop and grow over the course of our lifespans. It is thought that kinesthetic learners make up around 5% of the adult population. We do not delve further into the kinesthetic type in this test, but stay tuned for the Tickle Learning Style test, coming soon! About 5% of people are kinesthetic learners. What these differences mean for you As a predominantly auditory learner, you likely find aural stimuli much more compelling and comprehensible than visual stimuli. To varying degrees, visual learners tend to feel that if they can't hear it, then they won't be able to properly synthesize it. You might feel a tenuous hold on information that is not presented aurally. You might even attempt to turn visual information into a aural cue you can use by speaking a reading out loud or listening to yourself go over the directions. These are the safeguards you might subconsciously take to trigger your memory on the subject at hand. The flip side is that you are likely to feel quite confident when information is presented to you aurally. In fact, you are likely to feel more capable of grasping higher-level concepts that are presented through verbal words or sounds than simpler concepts that are presented in written signs. To varying degrees, auditory learners tend to feel that if they hear it, then it might as well have not happened — that's how shallowly the information is going to be processed if it is not presented in sound. On the other hand, when information is presented aurally, you probably find yourself having no problem remembering it. Provided you can always control how information is presented to you, this auditory dominance is not a problem. However, our lives are complex, varied, and not entirely under our control. Hence, it behooves us all to learn to learn in different ways if we hope to continue to achieve and succeed. Auditory learning is your strong suit; view it as such, as opposed to the only way in which you can learn. Visual learning is not only another option, but it is often a necessary addition to one's cognitive landscape. Very often, there will simply not be adequate time or opportunity to have information recited to you, and instead you will have to work off of written notes or other visual cues. It is interesting to note once again that visual learners tend to be very good writers, while auditory learners tend to excel in spoken communication. If you feel you would like to broaden you auditory-based abilities, perhaps you could consider viewing the visual process as an auditory one. When you are reading something, try to hear the words being spoken — or even consider reading them aloud to yourself, if need be. If you can transform visual processes into auditory ones using similar, creative methods, then you will be able to transition your mind into a visual modality, and thereby, vastly broaden your horizons. Strengthening visual learning Want to strengthen your abilities to think and learn in visual ways? There are many ways to do so. One of the most straightforward methods is simply to try learning through visual methods like those outlined below. Expose yourself to visual sources of information If visual thinking and learning don't come naturally to you, it's likely that you avoid situations that would require you to learn from visual stimuli. Many people lean towards learning methods they prefer, and as such, further develop their already dominant method of learning. To get your visual learning side up to speed, take notes at lectures, read books with lots of pictures in them, or use graphs and flow charts to learn — focus on strengthening your visual abilities. Learn to communicate better through writing Visual learners tend to be very good at written communication. If you need to speak with someone, write them an email instead of tracking them down on the phone or talking to them face-to-face. Like everything else in life, you won't get better at using your visual learning style unless you practice it. And the more you practice, the better you'll become and the more natural it will feel. Be careful that you're truly trying to learn and communicate with clear written direction. Take time to make sure your email or note makes sense, that you are clearly and fully expressing your viewpoint. Understand that people can neither hear the tone of your voice nor can they see your body language or the expression on your face. Make sure your words communicate what you need them to. Visualize what you want to do Athletes are trained to see themselves hitting or throwing or kicking the ball where they want it to go. If there is something you want to achieve, try to visualize yourself achieving that end, as well as the steps required to get your there. Visualization is a powerful technique, and you might be surprised to discover how much you can achieve with its help. Take information you know and relearn it visually Auditory learners remember information when it is said to them. In order to strengthen your visual abilities, recreate the information you have learned in visual form. If you are an auditory individual, recite the information aloud to yourself, and then write it down as you recite it. Draw pictures if possible, use meaningful symbols in your notes — anything that you can do to offer yourself visual cues. Copy it into written form, and then copy it into written form again — the more times you can process it visually, the better you will learn the information, and the better you will learn to process information visually. When trying to recall information, try to see if you can call up the image of the notes that you took. If you cannot, do not worry. In time, it will come. Strengthening auditory learning Want to strengthen your auditory abilities? It's as easy as simply listening and learning. Take information you know and relearn it aurally If you are a visual learner, take some information you already feel comfortable with and try to learn about it aurally. Find some notes, or an instruction manual, and recite it aloud to yourself. Focus on hearing the information instead of reading it. Then read it over again. The more you hear words spoken, the more you will connect to the sound of words and not simply how they look on paper. Discuss important information or topics with others Traditionally, auditory learners are very good at expressing themselves with the spoken word. If you're trying to improve your skills in this area, try discussing issues, events, and information with others whenever possible. If it makes you feel more comfortable, outline your perspectives and understandings on paper first. If you are a visual learner, then when someone responds to a point that you have made, try to imagine what it would look like written down, so that you may connect their spoken statement to a familiar visual cue. If possible, imagine a graph or chart that might describe the situation or problem at hand. But the bottom-line is that you have to get out there and engage people face-to-face. Sure, you have less time to think up an argument — but so do they. Face-to-face, everyone is on equal footing. Take your time in responding; there is no rush. And, most important of all, do not worry about always being right; being wrong, and making mistakes, can be the best learning experience of all. Don't give up, all it takes is practice. Hear it Whenever possible, try to turn some visual element into a series of words you can speak. If you see a graph, try to describe, in a few sentences, what the graph is illustrating. It will not only help you develop your auditory abilities, but you will find you will learn some aspect of the information that you may have previously ignored or missed. If you can "hear" things that you see written down, then you will be well on your way to developing your auditory abilities. The more ways we can learn, the more potential we have as human beings and as individuals. The whole point is to become as flexible and capable as possible. Your brain type The physiology of your brain Questions explanation History behind the test For More Reading Now that you know about your own cognitive tendencies, let's take some time to focus on the test you took. By going through and explaining the different answer options, we can help you understand more fully how you think using examples from the test. You can also see common ways other people think about the same problem that differ from your own thought processes. Your final score is generated using a set of algorithms that take all of the test questions into account, assigning appropriate values to your responses depending on their relevance to a given scale. = your answer 1. To you, which of the following is most like: 4+6 a. 2+3 This response is visually extremely similar to the original equation of "4+6." In fact, the only transformation is mathematical, as this equation is half of the example equation, and thus one would expect someone with a visual as opposed to an auditory bias to choose this option. b. 4 - 6 This response is also visually similar to the example equation, with the exception of switching the "plus" sign to a "minus." The fact that this is a visual transformation implies that it should be most appealing to someone with a visual learning style. c. 9 + 1 This response is visually similar to the example in that it is in a numerical format and the order of elements is identical - that is, it conforms to the "one number plus another" format. Furthermore, what these two numbers sum to is identical to that in the example equation. "4+6=10" can be seen to have many visual similarities to "9+1=10," even if some of the details are different. Thus, one would expect someone with a visual learning style to choose this option. d. Four plus Six This equation can be considered the spoken equivalent of the original equation, and thus one who prefers it would most likely demonstrate an auditory learning style. 2. Which of the following is most like: PAG a. FLAG "FLAG" sounds like "PAG" if read aloud. This is the option an auditory thinker would choose. b. PAZ "PAZ" is visually very similar to "PAG" and is thus a visual choice. 3. The figure below is most similar to: a. In this option, the focus of the image is the contents of the square, two white and two black squares as opposed to how they are arranged in space. This reductionistic approach, breaking an object down into its constituent parts, is characteristic of the left hemisphere of the brain. b. Here, the focus is upon the whole structure — that is, the box itself, instead of what kinds of patterns appear inside the box as a whole. This holistic characteristic is an indication of right brain thinking. 4. Which of the following images do you find most appealing: a. b. c. d. Research has found that the different treatments of the letter A interfere with processing in the two hemispheres in different ways. Specifically, option A does not interfere with the left hemisphere whatsoever, whereas something more like option D has been found to significantly interfere with left hemisphere processing. Thus, A is strongly a left hemisphere choice; B is a somewhat left hemisphere choice; C is a somewhat right hemisphere option; and D is strongly right hemisphere. 5. DOG and CAT are related to each other in the same way as: a. WOOF and MEOW Choosing the sounds made by the animals uses auditory cues to make decisions over and above visual cues. b. CAT and MOUSE This option involves seeing that Dog is to Cat as Cat is to Mouse, and involves visually laying out the system of relationships in one's head. This, its visual transitivity, and the fact that one of the words from the original relationship is maintained in this option, makes it a visual response. 6. is to as: a. One is to three This option requires that one boil down the figure into its theoretical elements, and then turn them into a verbal statement. Furthermore, getting to this option requires you to take the visual example of the original statement, and turn it into a verbal statement. b. is to Choosing this option involves seeing the example figures as shapes that go together, and fit into one greater whole. Thus, it is focusing upon the visual cues of the question. 7. The figure I find most appealing is: a. b. c. Research has demonstrated that gradients such as these activate your brain hemispheres differently. Simpler gradients, such as the one in option A, offer a singular set of sequential details to attend to. That is, one would follow the simple train of events as going from black, to white, and then back to black. This sort of gradient is much easier to see as a single series or train of events, which implies left hemispheric preference. More complex gradients, such as that found in option C, however, are easier to process as a whole. That is, one may simply see it as a series of 4 gradients, instead of following the train of events from black, to white, and then to black repetitively four times over. This greater tendency to be taken as one simultaneous whole implies greater right hemispheric preference. Logically, then, one who chooses gradient B is deciding to use both hemispheres equally. 8. Which of the choices is most similar to the following image: a. In order to choose this option, one must decide that the important detail of the example was the fact that it is a specific color word. Thus, the fundamental cue guiding someone's decision would be the meaning of the words, which is a left hemisphere function. Furthermore, the individual who chooses this option is focused upon visual stimuli in that both "Green" and "Blue" are names of colors, and are thus visual objects in and of themselves. b. This option is also left brain because of the fact that it focuses upon the meaning of "Blue" — namely, that it is specifically a color word. Furthermore, this option takes "Blue" back to its conceptual and verbal category of "Color," and does not focus upon the visual fact of colors themselves. This focus upon the non-visual elements indicates that it is an auditory option. c. This option sounds like the example, but has no actual semantic similarity — blew has nothing to do with blue. This focus upon sound and association, without paying attention to meaning, is characteristic of an auditory and right brain individual. d. In order to pick this option, one must be focusing upon the visual cue offered in the original example — that is, that the text was written in green. Furthermore, this choice ignores the verbal element in the original example, that the word literally says "blue." That implies that it is a right brained choice. 9. AIR and PLANE are related in the same way as: a. WATER and BOAT This choice focuses upon the relationships between the distinct words — that is, planes move through air just as boats move through water. This is a left brain way of approaching the problem. Furthermore, in order to see the relationships, a certain degree of visual orientation is required so as to see the words transformed into their respective objects — that is, to see a plane in the air, or a boat in water. b. HEIR and PLAIN This option simply associates over AIR and PLANE, coming up with words that are semantically unrelated, but which sound similar. Ignoring the meanings of the words is a typically right brained approach, and focusing on how the words sound is obviously an auditory approach. c. FINGER and NAIL In order to choose this option, one must decide that AIR and PLANE primarily function together, as AIRPLANE. Thus, FINGER can combine with NAIL to make FINGERNAIL. This process is a left brain one in that one must logically decide that the primary relationship between the example words is that they form a compound word. Similarly, it is auditory in that such a discovery involves sounding out the words next to one another, as opposed to visualizing anything relating to the words. d. CLOUD and SKY This option is a right brained one because it involves simply associating over the words AIR and PLANE and deriving other things relating to the same content family. Such a focus upon the holistic field in which the example objects exist is characteristic of the right hemisphere. Furthermore, this option involves things that one must see as being all together, and thus it involves visual thinking. 10. The relationship between 3 and 9 is the same as that between: a. 1 and 7 In order to choose this option one must see that the similarity between this choice and the example above is that the amount of space between both number pairs is identical. Thus, it requires spatial thinking, on the one hand, which is characteristic of the right hemisphere, and a visual orientation, on the other, since one must see the amount of space between the number pairs in order to view this similarity. b. 2 and 10 This option involves a left brained process in that one must use linear logic to see that 3 and 9 equal 12, as do 2 and 10. Furthermore, in order to see this one must simply say to oneself that "3 plus 9 equals 12, and 2 plus 10 equals 12;" thus, it is an auditory option. c. 2 and 4 In order to choose this option, one must see that 22 equals 4, just as 32 equals 9. The linear logic required to make this connection is a left hemispheric process. Furthermore, the easiest way to view that math is by literally seeing the superscripted 2 (the "squared" sign) above the 2 and the 3; thus, it is an option that should attract visual learners. d. Thirteen Hundred Thirty-three and Nineteen Hundred Ninety-nine The similarity between this option and the original pair of numbers is based on both the fact that the words sound similar to the numbers. However, there is no mathematical similarity, especially considering the fact that the numbers in this choice are written as words and not as their numerical equivalents. Choosing not based on any mathematical rule, in conjunction with how the words themselves sound, is characteristic of a right brained, auditory individual. 11. The drawing below can also be represented as: a. This choice focuses upon the content of the example figure, as opposed to its outer structure. As the left hemisphere is more heavily involved in such reductionistic processes, those that break down a whole into its constituent parts make this a left brained choice. b. This option focuses upon the square structure of the example figure and allows the content to be more fluid. Its focus upon the entire field as a whole makes it a right brained choice. 12. Which of the following best describes your personality? a. A, B, C, D, E... This is a very linear and verbally-oriented sequence, and thus would be preferentially chosen by your left brain. b. This option implies more of a "big picture" mentality on the part of the person taking the test and even implies a certain attention to spatial relationships. Such a focus upon entire holistic fields is characteristic of someone's right brain 13. What is this a picture of: a. Flying "Flying" is what is going on in the picture in a broad sense, independent of any of the details of the image. This holistic and pattern-based approach is typically a right brain one. b. A bird Deciding that the picture is one of a bird involves reducing the image down to its constituent elements, and then choosing which element is the main focus. This reductionistic approach is typically a left brain one. 14. Which word pair is most like CONTROLLED-UNCONTROLLED: a. RESTRICTED-UNRESTRICTED The words in this choice mean something similar to what the example words mean, and are varied, relative to one another, in a way that is identical to the example word pair, as well. Logical, meaning-based selections indicate your left brain. b. UNCONTROLLED-CONTROLLED This option has the same words as in the example pair, but rearranged. Thus, the focus is on the arrangement of the words in space, relative to one another, and not on the meaning of the words. Taking a pattern-based approach and focusing upon spatial cues indicates a decision based on your right brain. 15. The figure I like the most is: a. The boundary in this image implies that one is seeing the whole picture. This kind of focus is characteristic of the right hemisphere. b. The unboundedness of this image makes it a jumble of individual details with no thread linking them together into a greater whole. A preference for processing elements as parts, rather than as a whole, is characteristic of the left hemisphere. 16. Seeing the letters I and M together makes me most think of: a. U and R If one sounds out the letters "I" and "M," one ends up with the sentence, "I am." Similarly, one can sound out "U" and "R" to achieve "You are." Hence, this choice has an auditory focus. b. O and M The difference between this option and the example letters is the letter "O," as opposed to "I." The vowel replacement makes this option still visually resemble the example letters — and so this choice has a visual focus. 17. The relationship between and is similar to the relationship between: a. and The relationship between the elements in this option and the example words is a direct and logical one. The colors of the elements are identical. These colors are kept distinct in both cases, as well. This focus on distinct elements, as well as the linearity of the relationships, gives it a left hemispheric focus. Furthermore, the focus upon a visual element — namely, the color of the words, as opposed to the meaning or sound of the words — makes it a clear option for a visual thinker. b. and This choice takes a left hemispheric focus upon the meaning of all of the involved words. Furthermore, the transitivity of this pair and the example pair (i.e., LIKE is to LOVE as LOVE is to ADORE), combined with the fact that this pair ignores the color cues in the original example, makes it an auditory option. c. This choice focuses upon the color cues, and so has a visual orientation. It also combines the yellow and red elements into a unified whole, which is a right hemispheric process. d. and This choice specifically does not use color cues, working instead off of possible associations one might have with the original example words. Hence, its focus is a right hemispheric and auditory one. 18. relates to the same way as: a. This simple visual transformation involves adding another half-circle within a half-square to the bottoms of both of the two original figures. Hence, it should logically be most appealing to someone with a predominantly visual learning style. b. This option involves doubling the first image and halving the second. This somewhat complex rule is much more visually than linguistically straightforward. Hence, it should appeal more to someone with a more visual than auditory learning style. c. The transformation in this response involves a very simple rule - rotate the images 45 degrees. While this is visually fairly straightforward, it is linguistically even more straightforward. Thus, it appeals to people with auditory learning styles. d. This transformation also involves a simple linguistic rule - namely, that of multiplying each image by four. Although it is visually straightforward in its own right, comparing the visual similarities between this response and the example images is not as immediate as is this simple verbal rule. Hence, it, too, appeals to people with predominantly auditory learning styles. 19. The sequence is the same as: a. This variation is heavily rule-based — the pattern has been doubled in a rigid, almost automatic fashion. This rigidness and linearity is a left hemispheric characteristic. b. This variation has the same number of elements as the original, but they have all been rearranged in space into a different pattern. Pattern-orientation and spatial rotation are right brain elements. 20. Which figure is most similar to: a. This response suggests that the fundamental element in the above example is the more image-oriented, and less verbal, element - namely, that of the rectangular boundary. Hence, choosing this option involves focusing upon more purely visual elements. b. Choosing the contents of the rectangular boundary in the example above involves seeing the letter "O" as the primary element. This focus upon a verbal element implies a more auditory than visual learning style. 21. Which of the following is more clear: a. No smiling This choice is the linguistic way of getting a message across, and involves a preference for both verbal and sequential thinking - both characteristics of the left hemisphere. b. This choice, on the other hand, is the more purely visual and immediate method of getting that same message across. This image transmits the entirety of the message in one fell swoop. This immediacy, combined with the fact that it is non-linguistic, implies that one who chooses it is significantly engaging their right hemisphere. 22. The connection between the words EVIL and DEVIL is the same as the connection between which of the following word pairs: a. SCARY and MONSTER "SCARY" and "MONSTER" have similar relationships as "EVIL" and "DEVIL" — that is, "DEVILS" are "EVIL" just as "MONSTERS" are "SCARY" In addition, monsters are scary, devils are scary and both can be evil. That approach further makes this a left brain selection. b. EEL and FEEL "EEL" and "FEEL" are similar to "EVIL" and "DEVIL" in that they involve simply adding one letter to the first word to achieve the second, thereby suggesting an approach to words as primarily patterns of letters. This pattern-based, meaning-irrelevant similarity is very characteristic of the right brain. 23. Which of the following is the closest equivalent of the word BLUE? a. In order to choose option A, one must view the word "BLUE" as an emotional word more than a color word. Such a decision demonstrates a clear auditory bias, focusing upon specifically non-visual elements. b. Choosing option B indicates that one sees "BLUE" primarily as a color word. In fact, not only is this choice another color word itself, but it is printed in blue text, thereby making it doubly visually oriented. 24. Presented with BLUE-GRAY, your first reaction is to think of: a. LIGHT BLUE Blue-Gray could be construed as a single compound color, just like the single color Light Blue. However, this option presents the color in words, just as it was presented in the original example. This focus upon the visual similarities between the example option and the response implies a visual learning style. b. GRAY-WHITE Blue-Gray could be seen as two different colors stuck together by a hyphen, just like Gray-White. Furthermore, this option, just like the previous response, involves leaving the color words as words, as opposed to resolving the words to images, and thus requires that one see the visual similarities between the example option and this response as of fundamental importance. This requirement implies a visual learning style. c. This response involves resolving the color words in the original example to their visual equivalents. Hence, one would have to hear Blue-Gray, process the words, and then transform them into a color-based and non-linguistic form. This willingness to ignore the visual format of the example implies an auditory learning style. d. This response also involves resolving the color words in the original example, although in this case it sees the original not as two distinct colors but as one compound color. Furthermore, it requires that one hear the example and then transform it into another form - in this case, a color-based and non-linguistic form. Once again, this willingness to ignore the visual format of the example implies an auditory learning style. 25. Which is the opposite of the following figure? a. This image has simply taken the original image and put black where there was white, and white where there was black. Its fundamental cue was the entire, unified image — that is, it simply inverted the color scheme without any regard for the actual structure of the objects in the image. This preference for approaching things as a whole, as opposed to breaking them down into their constituent elements, is characteristic of the right hemisphere. b. This image reverses the original one based on the geometric shapes that compose the image. That is, it specifically does break the original image down into its constituent elements and then rearranges them. This focus upon the details that comprise an ostensibly greater whole is characteristic of the left hemisphere.