Emotional asymmetry

The right hemisphere is dominant in most forms of emotional expression.

Emotional receptivity (recognition)   It is the right hemisphere that interprets facial expression, vocal intonation, gesture and recognises emotion, even in language. The left hemisphere reads emotions by the lower part of the face, the mouth rather than the eyes. An inability to recognise faces is called prosopagnosia, which occurs with right hemisphere lesions.     Emotional expressivity   Facial expression, humour, smiling, laughter, and sadness are all mediated by the right hemisphere. Anger is mediated by the left hemisphere. The left half of the face is more involved in emotional expression. For this reason mothers unknowingly tend to cradle their babies on their left arms, presenting the left half of their face, controlled by the right hemisphere, to their infants.

Differences in emotional affinity

The right hemisphere gives emotional value to what is seen. The left hemisphere’s representation of emotion is more conscious, forced, willed, deliberate. In relation to positive and negative emotions the right hemisphere is more in tune with sadness and less with anger than the left hemisphere, although the left hemisphere takes a more optimistic view, although this optimism may be unwarranted. Bonding and empathy, whether positive or negative are preferentially treated by the right hemisphere, and competition, rivalry and self-belief, whether positive or negative, by the left hemisphere. McGilchrist also discusses colour perception (related to emotion) and depression in this section, supporting his discussion with reference to research.

Continue to: Hemisphere Differences (5) Reason vs rationality; The twin bodies; Meaning and the implicit; Music and time

Links

Link to: Chapter 2 Commentary

Link to: Image Credits

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