Personality Meets Whole Brain Thinking
Insights from Great Minds
The biggest mistake of past centuries in teaching has been to treat all students as if they were variants of the same individual and thus to feel justified in teaching them all the same subjects in the same way.
Howard Gardner
Stella Cottrell
The important thing, however, is not to discover which ‘type’ you are but rather to recognise the many different elements that contribute to how you yourself learn best.
Self-awareness is not just about discovering our own needs and desires, it is about understanding how our emotions affect our thoughts and behaviour.
Daniel Goleman
What is a Brain Profile?
In 1981 Roger Sperry received the Nobel Prize in Physiology “for his discoveries concerning the functional specialization of the cerebral hemispheres”. Sperry, his student Michael Gazzaniga and the neurosurgeon Joseph Bogen, performed the first ‘split brain operation’, and can be credited with some of the most important insights we have of the physiology of the brain today. Sperry discovered that each hemisphere of the brain had its own specialized functions, confirming a hypothesis that had existed for a number of years. Sperry himself declared, “Each disconnected hemisphere appears to have a mind of its own”. It has become clear that most of us prefer the functions and processes of one of the two hemispheres to the other. Michael Gazzaniga elaborates further on their research: “It became clear that visual information no longer moved between the two sides. If we projected an image to the right visual field – that is, to the left hemisphere, which is where information from the right field is processed – the patients could describe what they saw. But when the same image was displayed to the left visual field, the patients drew a blank: they said they didn’t see anything. Yet if we asked them to point to an object similar to the one being projected, they could do so with ease. The right brain saw the image and could mobilize a nonverbal response. It simply couldn’t talk about what it saw.
The Neethling Brain Instruments (NBI®) is a revolutionary battery of instruments that strives to develop whole brain thinking in individuals. The NBI® was developed after almost 30 years of extensive international research on left and right-brain functions. The instruments were developed by Kobus Neethling, under the research guidance of Professor Paul Torrance of the University of Georgia. Initially developed for adults, the NBI® has been expanded to include a number of other whole brain instruments that are tailored to children, young adults, sportspeople and businesspeople.
For over a century, researchers have focused on gaining deeper insight into the functioning of the four-quadrant brain. Although the concept ‘whole brain thinking’ is in itself a major innovation with diverse applications, it is only the tip of the iceberg. With the four quadrants as the basis, Kobus Neethling developed and introduced the 8 Dimensions Instrument, which identifies two dimensions within each of the four quadrants. The 8 dimensions are a revolutionary aspect of the NBI® as they provide greater insight into elements within each of the four quadrants. This allows for a more thorough interpretation of an individual’s thinking preferences.
Today these instruments are used internationally with 30+ profiling instruments, available in 18+ languages (More information is available under each profile type). The languages include, but is not limited to, Afrikaans, Belgium- Flemish, Belgium- French, Brazil- Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, English, German, IsiZulu, Setswana, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Serbian, and Xhosa.
NBI® Profiles
NBI® General Adult
Developing better relationships, making more dynamic contributions in the team and making sound and relevant decisions are but a few of the advantages of understanding your own thinking profile. Making more accurate job and career choices or determining the correct subject or study selections, could eventually lead to a more productive and fulfilled personal and professional life.
NBI® in Business and Teams
The current world of work depends not on physical or tangible resources, but on ‘human’ resources. Therefore, a business’s success lies in its ability to harness the skills, knowledge and insight of its employees, clients and suppliers.
NBI® in Education and Parenting
Our personal thinking preferences begin to develop during childhood years. They manifest in the ways in which children prefer to learn and study. In today’s competitive world, education has become more important than ever, and the NBI® can help children gain the mental whole-brain edge they need to become successful, well-adjusted adults.
By identifying the personal thinking preferences of children, parents, and teachers, learning can be tailored to achieve successful results. Study methods and learning environments can be adapted so as to create the ideal space for learning. Conflict will be reduced as communication becomes more effective.
NBI® in Personal Life
The Neethling Brain Instruments (NBI®) is a revolutionary battery of instruments that strives to develop whole-brain thinking in individuals. These assessment tools will help you develop strategies to sustain creativity and positive thinking in your personal and professional life. You will also be able to identify the essence of your problems and apply creative solutions immediately.
NBI® in Sports and Lifestyle
Successful sports people need more than to be physically fit. In order to excel at your game, you need to understand your personal thinking preferences and how these impact on your approach to training, your game strategies and your interaction with teammates and opponents.
Once you understand your thinking preferences, you will be in a better position to focus on mental skills that might be underdeveloped or underused. This will give you the competitive whole-brain edge to excel.