WHOLE BRAIN THEORY

Ø  In 1861, PAUL BROCA conducted a study on the language and left-right brain specialization

on a patient who had problems with language. After several tests, Broca theorized that some
language functions reside on the left side of the brain.

Ø  DR. ROGER WOLCOTT SPERRY conducted a study for epilepsy, which gave him the
1981 Nobel Prize for physiology of Medicine. He explained that the brain has two hemispheres
that perform tasks differently from each other. He discovered that the Left hemisphere of the
brain was performing tasks that were intuitive, creative, and synthesizing; while the Right
hemisphere of the brain was more adept with analytical, logical, reason, and critical thinking.
Dr. Sperry’s theory was known as SPLIT-BRAIN THEORY.

Ø  The Whole Brain Model is a mental model that describes thinking preferences. These are the
ways of thinking that please people the most and appear normal for them at this point in their
lives.

Ø  Thinking preferences describe the patterns of what people choose to pay attention to and
what people do not wish to pay attention to.

Ø  The concept presents that the human brain is made up of two halves. These halves are
commonly called the right and left brain, but scientifically termed as “hemispheres”. The two
sides of the brain communicate with one another thru the “corpus callosum.

Ø  The left brain controls the muscles on the right side of the body and vice versa. This is why if
the left brain has an injury, movement problems or weakness may manifest on the right side of
the body.

Ø  NED HERRMANN theorized that the brain has 4 parts, after putting together
Sperry’s “split-brain theory” and Maclean’s “Triune Braine theory”.

Ø  MIND MAP is a diagram used to visually organize an idea. It is often used to discuss a single
concept where representations of symbols, images, or words are added.

Ø  Understanding whether adolescents are right-brain or left-brain learners can help improve
their academic success during those crucial years when grades count toward high school and
college. Knowing adolescents learning styles is helpful to parents, teachers, tutors, and most
importantly, adolescents themselves. Adolescents struggle to learn, this knowledge can
ultimately improve self-esteem as they realize that low grades and a dislike of school may have
more to do with a one way fits all teaching method rather than with how smart they are.

WHOLE BRAIN MODEL

 THE FOUR THINKING STYLES IN THE WHOLE BRAIN MODEL ARE:

1. Logician – Analytical, mathematical, technical, and problem-solving.

2. Organizer – Controlled, conservative, planned, organized, and administrative in nature.
3. Communicator – Interpersonal, emotional, musical, spiritual, and the “talker” modes.
4. Visionary – Imaginative, synthesizing, artistic, holistic, and conceptual modes.

LEFT AND RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS      

Small Picture Big Picture
Verbal Communication Nonverbal communication                           
Small Muscle Control Large muscle control
Intelligence Quotient Emotional Quotient MENTAL HEALTH
Word Reading Comprehension AND WELL-BEING
Math Calculations Math reasoning IN MIDDLE AND
Processing Information Interpreting information LATE
Conscious Actions Unconscious actions ADOLESCENCE
Positive Emotions Negative emotions
Receiving Auditory Input Interpreting Auditory input 1. MENTAL HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING
Linear and Logical Thinking Gets Abstract concepts
Curious and Impulsive Actions Cautious and safe actions
Like routine / Sameness Likes newness, novelty
Activates Immunity Suppresses Immunity Ø  Good Mental health
is about one’s behavior- what you do. It goes on to say that when “you care about yourself and
you take care of yourself”, you have good mental health. Having good mental also means
looking after your physical health- eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and enjoying yourself.

Ø  Good mental health is the psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory
level of emotional and behavioral adjustment. Mental health includes emotional, psychological,
and social well-being that affects one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Ø  Resilience, which means “being able to cope with the normal stress of life”, is an important
component of most definitions of mental well-being, with great relevance for the prevention of
mental illness.

Ø  Mental Health is a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own
potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is
able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Ø  Well-being is a general term used for the good or satisfactory condition of existence
characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity or in a shorter definition a state of being happy
or successful.

Ø  Psychological well-being is conceptualized as some combination of positive affective states

such as happiness and functioning with optimal effectiveness in individual and social life.

2. CLASSIFICATION OF MENTAL DISORDERS

I.              CLINICAL DISORDERS – include developmental and learning disorders, as well as
all major mental disorders, except personality disorders and mental retardation. Among the major
mental disorders are:

a)    Depressive disorder – is characterized by acute, but time-limited depressive symptoms

such as dejection.

b)    Anxiety disorder – is characterized by extreme, irrational, and incapacitating fear.

c)    Bipolar disorder – is a type of mood disorder that involves manic, as well as depressive
episodes.

d)    Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – is a behavioral disorder

characterized by inappropriate levels of inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity.

e)    Phobia – is a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent irrational fear of a

situation or an object. Examples: Acrophobia (fear of heights), Katsaridaphobia (fear of
cockroach), and Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes).

f)     Schizophrenia – means “split of mind”. It is a type of mental disorder manifested by

disturbed thinking (delusion), perception (hallucination), or erratic speech, emotions, and
behavior. Delusion is a belief that is unrealistic, bizarre or unusual or misrepresented of
reality. Hallucination refers to seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear.
 

II.            PERSONALITY DISORDERS AND MENTAL RETARDATION – involve

persistent maladaptive patterns in relating to people. Mental retardation refers to a condition
characterized by significantly below-average general intellectual functioning. It may be caused
by genetics, prenatal illness, childhood illness, and injuries, as well as environmental factors.
These personality disorders include the following:    

           
a)     Paranoid personality disorder – is characterized by a persistent distrust and
suspiciousness of others, or believing that they have ill motives.

b)     Antisocial personality disorder -  is characterized by an utter disregard for willful

violation of the rights of others.

c)     Narcissistic personality disorder – is a pervasive behavior characterized by an inflated

sense of self-importance or excessive need for admiration, as well as a lack of sensitivity to
others’ needs.

d)     Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a persistent preoccupation with maintaining

order, attaining perfection, and exercising extreme mental and interpersonal control at the cost of
flexibility, openness, and efficiency.

e)     Borderline personality disorder – is characterized by a pattern of constant instability of

interpersonal relationships, lack of self-image, and loss of control over impulses.

f)      Histrionic personality disorder – involves excessive emotionality and attention-seeking.

g)     Dependent personality disorder – is characterized by an excessive need to be taken care
of, leading to the formation of submissive and clinging behavior, as well as an excessive fear of
separation.

h)     Avoidant personality disorder – is marked by excessive social inhibition, feelings of

inadequacy, and over sensitiveness to criticism.

i)       Schizoid personality disorder – is characterized by an extreme aversion to social

relationships, cultivation of a solitary way of life, and the suppression of strong emotions.

j)       Schizotypal personality disorder – is characterized by the inability to form close

relationships due to perceived eccentricity of behavior as well as odd beliefs or superstitions.

3. THREATS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

Ø  Adolescents like you may be prone to any of the disorders previously described if you are not
aware of possible threats that may contribute to the development of such disorders.

Ø  These threats can include Family situations, Environmental factors, and School-related
problems such as bullying and peer pressure.