Left Brain Right Brain Worldview and Doctoral Programs Essay

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Worldview Statement



A cornerstone concept of pop psychology, the left brain/right brain divide is "largely bogus," (Lombrozo, 2013). However, the metaphor of left brain/right brain does somewhat accurately allow us to classify people into those whose worldviews are governed by logic and reason versus those whose worldviews allow for a greater degree of impulse and emotionality. My personal worldview is thankfully somewhere between these two extremes. Too much left brain emphasis leads to rigidity and an inability to welcome new ideas, whereas too much right brain focus may lead to superstition and poor decisions.



The left brain/right brain metaphor demonstrates the need for fusing qualitative and quantitative research methods. Social scientists who discount the relevance or validity of qualitative methods can be considered left brained in their worldview. As important as quantitative analyses are, social science research does not always lend itself to quantification. Human beings are not robots. Human behavior cannot always be translated into quantifiable data outputs. On the other hand, qualitative research is also insufficient because of its inherently subjective nature. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods is ideal for the social sciences.



The debate between the practitioner/professional doctorate and the traditional research-based PhD also reflects the left brain/right brain binary.

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The traditional PhD can be a left brain or right brain pursuit depending on the nature of the research. However, it is generally believed to have a more right brain focus because their objective is to promote theoretical understanding and further academic research as opposed to having logical, pragmatic outcomes (Lester, 2004). The professional PhD is more left brained in its function in the real world with evidence-based practice outcomes (Boud & Tennant, 2006; Neumann, 2005). Ironically, though, the professional PhD threatens the traditional PhD tract because of the latter's rigid conceptualization of the function of doctoral programs and doctoral research (Boud & Tennant, 2006). Given the ability of right-brained worldviews to be expansive and creative as opposed to restrictive and excessively linear, the professional PhD tracts ideally blend right and left brain visions. The application of quantitative data analyses to real world problems reflects the logical functions of the left brain, while the expanded worldview of the professional practitioner who understands the value of applying academia to the real world appeals to the right brain. Because my worldview combines both left and right brain worldviews, the professional….....

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References

Boud, D., & Tennant, M. (2006). Putting doctoral education to work: Challenges to academic practice. Higher Education Research and Development, 25(3), 293-306. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/213905646?accountid=14872

Lester, S. (2004). Conceptualizing the practitioner doctorate. Studies in Higher Education, 29(6), 757-770.Retrived from http://content.ebscohost.com/ContentServer.asp?T=P&P=AN&K=21619752&S=R&D=a9h&EbscoContent=dGJyMNLe80SeprI4y9f3OLCmr0%2BeprJSsa24TbWWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGss0q1qK5IuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA

Lombrozo, T. (2013). The truth about the left brain/right brain relationship. NPR. Retrieved online: http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2013/12/02/248089436/the-truth-about-the-left-brain-right-brain-relationship

Neumann, R. (2005). Doctoral differences: Professional doctorates and PhDs compared. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 27(2), 173-188.Retrived from http://content.ebscohost.com/ContentServer.asp?T=P&P=AN&K=17485272&S=R&D=bth&EbscoContent=dGJyMNLe80SeprI4y9f3OLCmr0%2BeprJSsqa4SLGWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGss0q1qK5IuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA

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