Right Brain vs. Left Brain

5aheadforpinks

Nit Picker
Silver Member
The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner, from part to whole, and then draws conclusions based on the arrangement of specific details. The right side of the brain sees the big picture first, not the individual details. Once the outcome is known, the right side of the brain brings order to the details.
When it comes to processesing symbols, such as letters, words, and mathmatical notations, the left brain is the champion. The left-brained person tends to be more comfortable with linguistic or mathematical endeavors. The right-brained individual, however, processes information better when he or she can see, feel, or touch the real object. Right-brained people learn best in hands-on situations.
When it comes to logic versus intuition, you can probably guess which side of the brain is responsible for which approach. The left side of the brain solves a problem by assembling the information piece by piece. If you tend to process information using your intuition, you are using the right side of your brain. And, while the left brain pays attention to mechanics of writing such as spelling, agreement, and punctuation, the right brain is more concerned with coherence and meaning.
When giving directions, a left-brained person is more likely to give specific distances and cardinal directions. A right-brained person will use visual references such as landmarks to direct a person to the correct destination.

This should clear up why some people use Intuition vs. Math when aiming. So my question to you is... are you more of a right-brained, or left-brained pool player. And how do you know?
 

supergreenman

truly addicted
Silver Member
So what your saying is the left side of the brain is for playing pool and the right side is for chasing women?:D
 

thoffen

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Blackjack has pointed out that it takes balance in both hemispheres to succeed in pool.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Where's Laura when you need her?
Really, I read this before.
The conclusion was to think/analyze while still standing.
When down on the shot, you now have to execute what the other side of the brain analyzed while you were up.
 

Gage

Registered
5aheadforpinks said:
The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner, from part to whole, and then draws conclusions based on the arrangement of specific details. The right side of the brain sees the big picture first, not the individual details. Once the outcome is known, the right side of the brain brings order to the details.
When it comes to processesing symbols, such as letters, words, and mathmatical notations, the left brain is the champion. The left-brained person tends to be more comfortable with linguistic or mathematical endeavors. The right-brained individual, however, processes information better when he or she can see, feel, or touch the real object. Right-brained people learn best in hands-on situations.
When it comes to logic versus intuition, you can probably guess which side of the brain is responsible for which approach. The left side of the brain solves a problem by assembling the information piece by piece. If you tend to process information using your intuition, you are using the right side of your brain. And, while the left brain pays attention to mechanics of writing such as spelling, agreement, and punctuation, the right brain is more concerned with coherence and meaning.
When giving directions, a left-brained person is more likely to give specific distances and cardinal directions. A right-brained person will use visual references such as landmarks to direct a person to the correct destination.

This should clear up why some people use Intuition vs. Math when aiming. So my question to you is... are you more of a right-brained, or left-brained pool player. And how do you know?


I think your viewpoint on the differences between the left and right hemispheres of the brain is quite oversimplified and slightly exaggerated. I'm not saying that it is entirely wrong, but you seem to emphasize that the two halves are like black and white.
http://www.rense.com/general2/rb.htm
http://williamcalvin.com/bk2/bk2ch10.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_hemisphere

Besides that tidbit, I'd say that I am more of a left-brained person during practice and more right-brained when I am playing.
 

Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
thoffen said:
Blackjack has pointed out that it takes balance in both hemispheres to succeed in pool.

I agree with you and Blackjack, and I would even expand that statement to say that it takes strong abilities in both hemispheres to be great at almost anything. Would Efren's shotmaking ability and knowledge of angles and positional routes be worth as much if he wasn't so creative in his planning and shot selection? Would Beethoven's aesthetic musical sense have been as appreciated if he hadn't possessed such intricate knowledge of modal harmonies and chord structure? To me the answer is clearly no.

I personally don't buy into the whole right-brained vs. left-brained idea. I'm an engineer and a musician and a pool-player. Do I use more logic or intuition in these things? Writing software is a highly logical activity, but there's plenty of creativity and intuition involved. Arranging music is very aesthetic and intuitive, but I still use numerical systems and rule-based logic at times. In playing pool, I use logic to figure out pattern play and shot selection, logic to tell me what effects certain englishes will have, but pure intuition to aim and control speed.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no conflict between logic and intuition; they each have their own role to play in everything you do, and if you emphasize either one at the expense of the other, you're making a mistake.

-Andrew
 

Gerry

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've taken a bunch of those test that tell you which side you favor, and I end up almost 50/50 every time, slightly favoring the right side.....yet I'm left handed and ambidextrous at a lot of things. Just basically screwed up!:D

Gerry
 

Gerry

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Gerry said:
I've taken a bunch of those test that tell you which side you favor, and I end up almost 50/50 every time, slightly favoring the right side.....yet I'm left handed and ambidextrous at a lot of things. Just basically screwed up!:D

Gerry


I forgot to mention I play mostly by feel, and only use systems for maybe the diamond system....I find myself frustrated when trying to use aiming/cueing systems...

Gerry
 

steev

Lazy User
Silver Member
Gerry said:
I've taken a bunch of those test that tell you which side you favor, and I end up almost 50/50 every time, slightly favoring the right side.....yet I'm left handed and ambidextrous at a lot of things. Just basically screwed up!:D

Gerry

same here, Gerry. which makes sense, being left-handed in a right-handed world. right-brained == left-handed, but influences from the world, from youth, push us leftys into more balanced brain activity.

/just my theory

-s
 

Snapshot9

son of 3 leg 1 eye dog ..
Silver Member
Observation ...

Your left sided part of your brain VERIFIES what you PERCEIVE with the right side of your brain. Before I approach the table or in walking up to it, I visualize the shot and results. As I get down on the shot, I verify my instinctual perception of the shot, usually more detailed (how much english, how hard, do I have to 'thread the needle' between 2 balls, does the cue ball hit another object ball and how will the ball roll and the cue ball come off the object ball). Most of these are second nature to me, but the harder the situation, the more possible trouble spots, the more details run through my mind.

Players, as they age, have a tendency going towards being a logic player
versus a natural player. I have noticed that in myself.

The trick (knew that would get your attention) is to 'Cover the bases' without 'Overkill'. Many new players learning, having achieved some knowledge of the game and shotmaking, will often 'Over-think' a situation
and they end up making a mistake. I, myself, have often had a 'feeling'
about a shot, only to change it because of 'logic', and ended up committing an error or missing the shot. I, also, on occasion have gone with my first 'impression' of the shot,and has turned out good for me, but not always.

'Defying logic sometimes can work, but you need to watch your success rate with those choices'. I have always heard since I was 15 or 16 that your first thought about a shot is right 64% of the time. Don't ask me where the 64% came from, I don't know. Safety or defensive play adds a new dimension to playing, and henceforth, makes a player think more logically in situations.

I am saying give your first shot choice proper consideration and weight, but also give consideration to other shot possibilities, because your choice of shots can depend on who you are playing as well as the table.
BUT --- We all know the Devil is in the Details, so don't dwell there too long.
 

5aheadforpinks

Nit Picker
Silver Member
I copied that excerpt from Printer's Press. See: www.Web-US.com/brain

I realized that I am more of a right-brained shooter, especially when Im relaxed. When Im more stressed with pressure, I tend to use the left side of my brain and I analyze more of the shot.

Of course we all use both sides of our brains at all times... Id rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

This article might be over simplified, but I did not mean to imply that both halves only work against eachother. Only that some people are obviously more right-brained or left-brained; and that can effect how we "see" the game.
 
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