The brain dominance concept has been strongly validated in a number of different ways. Firstly, through the research and experimentation of leaders in the field including Roger Sperry, Robert Ornstein, Henry Mintzberg, and Michael Gazzanniga. Secondly, it has been validated by the hundreds of EEG experiments carried out personally by Ned Herrmann. Third, it has been further validated by the public demonstrations conducted by Ned Herrmann over 15 years. Fourth, it has been validated by specific validation studies carried out by C. Victor Bunderson and James Olsen of Wicat and later by C. Victor Bunderson and Kevin Ho, and in parallel with those studies by validation experiments carried out by Schadty and Potvin at the University of Texas. Additional validation comes from the more than 60 doctoral dissertations based on both the HBDI® and the whole brain concept.

In addition to these more formal studies and activities, there have been thousands of anecdotal validations coming from people who have acknowledged verbally or in writing their strong personal acceptance of the HBDI® profile as descriptive of themselves and their extremely positive feedback about the understanding both the profile and the concept have provided in terms of understanding others in their personal and work lives. When asked the question, "Does this concept help me understand myself, people I know, and experiences I have had and am having?"-the answers have been enthusiastically positive.

Over 50 doctoral dissertations and Master theses based on whole brain technology and the HBDI® document this work in a variety of theoretical and practical applications. Over 100 articles published in the International Brain Dominance Review further document whole brain® technology and the HBDI® in a wide variety of applications. Many hundreds of letters, study reports, and memos are on file. Over 130,000 individual profiles and many hundreds of group analyses and interpretations are on file. We have reason to believe that these materials represent only a fraction of the number that exist in private archives or in the files of our 7 international institutes. In addition to this material, there are on display in the Ned Herrmann Group Learning Center in Lake Lure, 50 books and magazines referring to the Ned Herrmann Group's work, and to the whole brain® technology in a wide variety of application areas.

Contemporary understanding of human brain function establishes that each brain is unique and that brains in general are specialised (left brain vs right brain). While experts argue about the degree of specialisation, there is general agreement on the fact of specialisation. There is also agreement on the concept of dominance: eye dominance, hand dominance, foot dominance, ear dominance, and brain dominance. While the body is symmetrical in terms of organ duality, that is, humans have two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, and two hemispheres, experts agree that in the use of these dual organs there exists a general asymmetry. In other words, we use one to a greater degree than the other. When combined, the concepts of specialisation and asymmetry of dominance produce within each human being a distribution of specialised preferences that affect general behavior.

Contained within the brain halves are two sets of major structures which are connected together. These include the two cerebral hemispheres connected by the Corpus Callosum, and the two halves of the limbic system connected together by the Hippocampal Commissure. These represent massive connections that allow for direct interaction between the two halves of the cerebral system and the two halves of the limbic system.

We know a lot more about the function of the two cerebral hemispheres than we do about the function of the limbic system. But, more and more understanding about each of these specialised areas emerges every day. While the cerebral hemispheres are thought of as the more cognitive, intellectual parts of the process, the limbic system is becoming known as the more organised and emotional aspect of our thinking selves. A key function of the limbic system is to transform information as it is input into the brain system, so as to position it for appropriate 'processing'. By reason of this role, the limbic system has a major effect on memory.

As a single variable, motion sickness can reveal the presence or absence of inner control. For example, left mode dominant individuals, such as accountants, tend to experience motion sickness to a significantly less extent than right mode dominant individuals, such as artists. This susceptibility seems to be true even if the motion sickness has been experienced early in life. It is also interesting to note that left mode dominant individuals who are susceptible to motion sickness seem to acquire right mode skills more quickly than those who are not motion sensitive.

The percentages represent the relative preference for one mode compared to its opposite mode. For example, left mode compared to right mode or cerebral mode compared to limbic mode.

Yes. Longitudinal studies of hundreds of HBDI participants indicate that change can take place if there is a reason for it. Contributors to change include a person's desire to change, a significant change in their life's circumstances, or as the result of significant emotional events. However, if nothing has happened to the individual, that is, that they continue to do the same things that they have always done and do those things in the same way, then the profile will remain stable. This tends to be true even when they answer the questions differently. This reliability is based on the four-quadrant design of the Instrument and the multiple questions being asked in each quadrant.

Limited but revealing data indicates that mood changes the overall size of the profile but seems to have little effect on the shape. The profile tends to be anchored in the least preferred quadrant, and to increase proportionately to the preferences in the remaining three quadrants. To the degree that the mood is very positive or 'up', results in incrementally higher scores. These incrementally higher scores are related to an individual's being more positive or feeling expansive at the time of completing the survey form, and thus they answer more questions with higher values compared to when they feel 'down'.

Experts in Instrument design feel that a balanced array of forced choice questions adds to the internal validity of the Instrument. By forcing a choice between each quadrant and the remaining three, the basic four quadrant architecture of the Instrument is reinforced.

Most other questions on the survey form allow the respondent to freely select the answer. The balance between free selection and forced choice contribute to the high reliability and strong validation of the resulting profile. The adjective pair section of the Instrument is harder to respond to because it requires you to choose between alternatives. The results of these choices particularly when they differ from the answers to the freely selected responses, provides information about an individual's back-up style, such as what their behaviour might be under 'push comes to shove' circumstances.

Research studies have indicated that the hand position (straight or crooked), plus which hand is being used (right or left) indicate the likely location of the person's language centre. The location of the language centre in either the left or right hemisphere is important because that location determines the orientation of that hemisphere in terms of left mode or right mode specialised activity. Since language is the most powerful of all the brain's specialised modes, its location also determines the location of such mental activities as linear, sequential, analytical, logical, and mathematical processing.

The brain dominance theory is based on individuals being more influenced by nurture than by nature. This means that who we are is based more on what has happened to us than on genetics. Therefore, much of thinking style preferences are environmentally acquired. Since both education and work are primarily environmental influences, we need revealing personal information upon which to calculate their impact on the overall brain dominance profile. For these reasons, it is important that individuals provide as much meaningful background information on their education and work as possible on their survey forms.

First, it is important to know that one of the major conclusions of 12 years of application of the HBDI is that the world is a composite whole brain. That is, that with enough data (over 100 profiles) there is essentially an equal distribution of preferences in each of the four quadrants and combinations of quadrants to produce an overall balanced composite profile. Some cultural tilts do show up, but it is relatively minor compared to the importance of the composite whole brain conclusion.

This is an important question, and we will continue to research cultural similarities and differences as more data is gathered. With regard to cultural similarities and differences, it is very important to know that similar occupations tend to have consistent profile norms across cultures. For example, nurses around the world tend to have simlar profiles because the educational focus and work requirements of each occupation are very similar across cultures. The same is true for accountants and airline pilots etc.

Have you ever asked yourself: "How can people be so clever and so dumb at the same time?" We have all met people who are very bright and capable in a given area or skill but seem totally incapable of something much simpler. The 'absent-minded genius' is a good example. Scientific theory is no problem for this person but socialising at a party is. In business you often find a strategic, 'big picture' specialist who never seems to notice details. How does this happen? Research on the brain has led to an understanding that each of us has a preferred way and mode of thinking that affects the way we take in and process information. The awareness of one's own thinking style and the thinking styles of others combined with the ability to act outside of one's preferred thinking style is known as Whole Brain® Thinking.

The Whole Brain® Model was developed by Ned Herrmann, while head of Management Development at General Electric. Herrmann was a physicist by training, so he was intrigued by how the brain could help explain the clever/dumb issue described above. Using brain research developed by others and his own studies, Herrmann discovered that there were four patterns that emerged in terms of how the brain perceives and processes information. The Whole Brain® Model emerged as a validated metaphor for describing the four different preference modes.

An important application of whole brain® thinking is the ability to 'stretch' into lesser preferred quadrants for improved results. A useful metaphor is to think of your preferences as having natural elasticity, like a rubber band, that can easily expand into an area of lesser preference as required. Stretching into different modes will expand your thinking and allow for a more holistic approach to your problem, decision or situation. To start your 'whole brain stretch,' look at the Whole Brain® Model and identify those activities you find the most challenging. Which activities do you tend to skip or run out of time and energy to do? Which quadrants do they fall into? Next, think about the times of the day when you have the greatest and lowest mental energy. If you are a 'morning person,' schedule challenging tasks in the morning when you are the freshest. If you are a 'night' person, give yourself a boost by working on your least preferred tasks later in the day or at night when you have the most mental energy. You'll find that the mental effort required to do even the most challenging tasks will be significantly reduced if you work on them when you have more mental energy.

Another way to stretch yourself or to go deeper into a quadrant is to actively seek out the input of people who naturally think in that way. Spend time with them to learn how they think through a situation. Additionally, if you are struggling to determine how a given quadrant would approach an issue, think of a person you know who thinks that way and ask yourself: "How would ____ handle that situation?" Find resources that can provide specialised input (books, websites, journals, training) that you may not have known about or have disregarded in the past.

Another way to 'stretch' is to adopt whole brain® thinking methodology as a mental model that guides your approach to tasks and projects in day-to-day situations. Start your task by asking: "What do I need to do to make sure I touch each quadrant?" End a task by asking yourself, "Have I considered all quadrants?" Be aware of the quadrants you usually don't get to, and start with those first. You can easily create a four quadrant 'form' to do action planning by dividing a piece of paper into four boxes and filling in each box as needed. Practice improves this process and allows you to become more comfortable with the 'stretch.'

Even if you are naturally whole brained, it's possible to become more whole brained in your thinking. While natural whole brain thinkers usually consider all quadrants in their thinking, they may encounter some challenges when a situation requires them to 'go deep' into any one quadrant. Consider some of the following ways to 'go deep': for the A Blue Quadrant, conduct an in-depth analysis of the numbers; for the Green B Quadrant, develop a highly detailed project plan and timeline; for the C Red Quadrant, facilitate a highly emotional conflict resolution discussion; for the D Yellow Quadrant, develop a long-range forecast that goes out 10 years.

As a professional artist for many years, Ned Herrmann became curious about the nature and source of creativity. Upon exploration, it became suddenly clear to him that the source of creativity was the brain. Pursuing that 'AHA!' led to the Whole Brain® Model and the development of the HBDI®. At the time this occurred in 1976, Ned was head of Management Education at General Electric's Management Development Institute. His understanding of the brain as a source of creativity was quickly followed by his second insight that the brain was also the central organ in learning. His dual profession as an artist and educator gave him the opportunity to apply his new understanding to whole brain® creative learning. GE supported Ned's experiments and applications during the late 70's, and it was these activities that led to the development of the whole brain® concept and the HBDI®.

Whole brain® thinking gives you the opportunity to improve both your work performance and your communication. Have you ever finished a project or task and said, "Why didn't we think of that?" Or have you ever thought, "This person and I just don't communicate." Using whole brain® thinking methodology means being able to utilise the thinking preferences of each of the four quadrants. It enables you to take a comprehensive view of any situation and look at it from a variety of perspectives. The result—you have literally 'thought of everything'.

In terms of communication, each quadrant has its own language which is the product of its thinking preferences. Typically, when someone is speaking a language we don't understand, we tune out. Whole brain® thinking provides you with a framework for listening and speaking to other people. It enables you to 'hear' what others are saying even when they are speaking in a different language. And it enables you to present your ideas in your listener's preferred language. The result—the lines of communication are opened up.

Upon superficial examination, the brain consists of two half brains and therefore the simplistic left brain/right brain dichotomy seems to adequately describe the differences between these two brain halves. Closer scrutiny of the brain reveals four structures rather than just two. These four paired structures consist of the two cerebral hemispheres and the two halves of the limbic system. These are paired structures connected by what are called commissures. The two cerebral hemispheres are connected together by the Corpus Callosum and the two halves of the limbic system are connected together by the Hippocampal Commissure.

It is well established that the human brain is highly specialised. The whole brain theory allocates the brain's specialised modes into one or more of these four physiological structures. This allocation of specialised modes is the basis of the four quadrant model. Since dominance can only occur between paired structures, we now have the basis of a much more sophisticated and useful model comprising not only the left and right modes, but also the cerebral and limbic modes. The cerebral modes are made up of the two interconnected cerebral hemispheres and the limbic mode is comprised of the two interconnected halves of the limbic system. Extensive data speaks loudly that there are an equal number of people whose mental preferences are primarily cerebral or limbic as those that are primarily left or right. Therefore, the four quadrant Whole Brain Model™ allows us to differentiate between not only the more popular notions of left brain/right brain, but also the more sophisticated notions of cognitive/intellectual which describes the cerebral preference, and visceral, structured, and emotional which describes the limbic preferences.

The organising principle of the brain and the physiology of the brain both proclaim a condition for wholeness. The brain is physically constructed so that specialised areas of processing can collaborate with other areas of specialisation. We are not single individuals, but rather a coalition. The organising principle explains how the naturally occurring iteration among different modes (or styles) of thinking is affected by dominance and preference.

The metaphor divides the brain into four separate quadrants. Each quadrant is different and of equal importance.

• The Upper Left Blue A Quadrant specialises in logical, analytical, quantitative, fact-based thinking.
• The Lower Left Green B Quadrant focuses on details and specialises in planning, organising, and sequencing information.
• The Lower Right Red C Quadrant places a priority on feelings and the interpersonal, emotional and kinesthetic aspects of a situation.
• The Upper Right Yellow D Quadrant synthesises and integrates information and is more intuitive and holistic in its thinking.

Any situation that requires thinking that goes beyond a given quadrant's specialised mode can benefit from whole brain® thinking methodology. To insure that each quadrant has been explored in a given process, an approach called a walk-around is used.

Here are four examples of frequently used applications of whole brain® thinking methodology:

• Decision making - Most decisions benefit from a thought process that includes the review of multiple options and perspectives. A typical example is the purchase of a car. Quadrant A thinkers look at information on the actual performance of the vehicle. Quadrant B thinkers read a consumer report to gather research on the reliability and practical features (trunk size, safety records etc) of the vehicle. Quadrant C thinkers test drive the car to see if it 'feels' right. And Quadrant D focuses on the aesthetics, color, styling, and innovations of each model. Using the whole brain® model - the thinking of all quadrants - contributes to a better choice and avoids unpleasant surprises. Overlooking even one quadrant can result in a less than ideal outcome. Imagine an individual that falls in love with a car because of the look, drive and feel, but neglects to check the boot size only to discover after the purchase that his golf clubs don't fit in the boot!
• Problem Solving - Every problem situation can benefit from a Quadrant A review of the data and facts, as well as an analysis of the real problem at hand; the Quadrant D 'big-picture' context and possible creative ideas; Quadrant C viewpoint of the 'customer' of the problem and how the problem affects others; and Quadrant B step-by-step process to solve the problem and implement the solution.
• Improving team interactions and performance - Most teams are formed to make the most of the differences among team members. But very often those differences stand in the way of the team living up to its potential. The Whole Brain® Model can help a team to acknowledge the differences among team members and then use those differences to make the most of the ideas of each team member. In addition, once a team knows its preferences it can use that knowledge to enhance its communication with other teams and work groups which may have thinking preferences that are quite different.
• Communication - The objective of most communication is to convey an idea, transfer information, or persuade someone. How many times have you experienced the frustration of delivering a message only to realise that the other person 'just didn't get it'. In order to communicate effectively, it's important to understand the 'language' and mindset of the person(s) you are communicating with. A whole brain® diagnosis of the audience can provide the critical planning information you need to tailor your language and presentation to the audience. When the audience's preferences are in doubt, taking a whole brain approach to communication ensures that you've covered all the 'languages.' This reduces the possibility of miscommunication and improves the chance that your message will be successfully received by the audience.