<p>What is the dominant hemisphere in the first place? I found the following definition (source: <a href="http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/dominant+hemisphere" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Medical Dictionary</a>):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[The] dominant hemisphere [is] [t]he left half of the brain in almost all right-handed people and 85% of left-handed people. This is the hemisphere concerned with <strong>language</strong> and <strong>logical thought</strong> and containing the <strong>motor areas for voluntary use of the right side of the body</strong>. In 15% of left-handed people, the right hemisphere is dominant and subserves speech.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Now, your ducks facing left or right hardly seem to reflect either language, logic, motor lateralization or handedness. Instead, often <a href="http://www2.hawaii.edu/~bemorton/Hemisphericity/PolarityQ.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">questionnaires</a> or <a href="http://personality-testing.info/tests/OHBDS/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">inventories</a> are used, for example to tease out whether a person is logical, rational and verbal (left-sided); or emotional, manipulative/spatial and creative (right-sided). However, the meaning, relevance, and possible use of hemispheric dominance is <a href="http://personality-testing.info/tests/OHBDS/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">debated</a>.   </p>

<p>Note that brain lateralization is certainly true for a number of functions, including speech and motor control, but the more dramatic examples of brain lateralization should be interpreted with caution, and I quote from <a href="http://www.academia.edu/download/3679701/American_Psychologist.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Corballis (1980)</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Since ancient times, right and left have been associated with different fundamental classifications, including male and female, good and evil, day
  and night, straight and crooked. [...] Interpretations of cerebral asymmetry that emphasize a <strong>fundamental duality in cognitive processing</strong> between the two sides of the brain, or that locate <strong>consciousness in the left side only</strong>, are probably modern manifestations of the age-old <strong>mythology</strong> of left and right.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><sub><strong>Reference</strong><br>
<strong>-</strong> <a href="http://www.academia.edu/download/3679701/American_Psychologist.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Corballis, <em>American Psychologist</em> (1980); <strong>35</strong>(3): 284-95</a></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-02T13:26:06.877Z
2017-05-02T18:08:15.183Z
2017-05-02T18:08:15.183Z
AliceD
<p>When I was on 7<sup>th</sup> grade, our math teacher asked every one of us to draw a duck. In the class of 34 students, a large portion of the students drew a left-facing duck.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Dhdvc.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Dhdvc.png" alt="doodle of the duck"></a>  </p>

<p>The teacher said that it’s a simple test to figure out if a person is either right or left-brain dominant. So the people who drew a duck facing to left is a right-brainer, and <em>vice versa</em>. Apparently this Duck-test was quite popular in middle school.</p>

<p>Some even say, people who often draw a duck who faces left side is a left brain (instead of right). Although some says it's just muscle memory/ tendency. </p>

<p>My question is- is this mini test legit? 
Can you get a glimpse of someone's brain dominance by drawing a duck?</p>

<personality><test><lateralization><brain>
Can drawing a duck define a person's hemispheric dominance?
corgiiscute
# Can drawing a duck define a person's hemispheric dominance?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-05-02)

When I was on 7th grade, our math teacher asked every one of us to draw a duck. In the class of 34 students, a large portion of the students drew a left-facing duck.

[![doodle of the duck](https://i.sstatic.net/Dhdvc.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Dhdvc.png)

The teacher said that it’s a simple test to figure out if a person is either right or left-brain dominant. So the people who drew a duck facing to left is a right-brainer, and *vice versa*. Apparently this Duck-test was quite popular in middle school.

Some even say, people who often draw a duck who faces left side is a left brain (instead of right). Although some says it's just muscle memory/ tendency.

My question is- is this mini test legit?
Can you get a glimpse of someone's brain dominance by drawing a duck?

**Tags:** personality, test, lateralization, brain


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-05-02. Score: 3

What is the dominant hemisphere in the first place? I found the following definition (source: [Medical Dictionary](http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/dominant+hemisphere)):

> [The] dominant hemisphere [is] [t]he left half of the brain in almost all right-handed people and 85% of left-handed people. This is the hemisphere concerned with **language** and **logical thought** and containing the **motor areas for voluntary use of the right side of the body**. In 15% of left-handed people, the right hemisphere is dominant and subserves speech.

Now, your ducks facing left or right hardly seem to reflect either language, logic, motor lateralization or handedness. Instead, often [questionnaires](http://www2.hawaii.edu/~bemorton/Hemisphericity/PolarityQ.html) or [inventories](http://personality-testing.info/tests/OHBDS/) are used, for example to tease out whether a person is logical, rational and verbal (left-sided); or emotional, manipulative/spatial and creative (right-sided). However, the meaning, relevance, and possible use of hemispheric dominance is [debated](http://personality-testing.info/tests/OHBDS/).

Note that brain lateralization is certainly true for a number of functions, including speech and motor control, but the more dramatic examples of brain lateralization should be interpreted with caution, and I quote from [Corballis (1980)](http://www.academia.edu/download/3679701/American_Psychologist.pdf):

> Since ancient times, right and left have been associated with different fundamental classifications, including male and female, good and evil, day
> and night, straight and crooked. [...] Interpretations of cerebral asymmetry that emphasize a **fundamental duality in cognitive processing** between the two sides of the brain, or that locate **consciousness in the left side only**, are probably modern manifestations of the age-old **mythology** of left and right.

**Reference**  
**-** [Corballis, *American Psychologist* (1980); **35**(3): 284-95](http://www.academia.edu/download/3679701/American_Psychologist.pdf)


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