The Berzinger Theory

Personality Types – The Benziger Theory

When you go to the supermarket, do you bring a list and work through it one item at a time, or do you decide what you want when you get there based on how you’re feeling that day? Perhaps you choose your food by visualising what you want to cook that night, or maybe by working out what will get you in and out of the shops quickest by spending as little money as possible? The answer to this question lies with your personality type.

Personality Types – The Benziger Theory

Understanding your brain dominance can help you work out your strengths and weaknesses and generally assist you in becoming as fulfilled as you can be. There are plenty of personality assessments, each with a unique way of looking at your identity. One personality assessment to consider is the Benziger Thinking Styles Assessment, created by Katherine Benziger. This model splits the brain into four categories, each responsible for different behaviours and strengths. These four categories, known as modes, are basal left, basal right, frontal right, and frontal left. Most of us can dip into each of these modes; however, there will almost always be a combination that comes more naturally. When you know your brain type, one of the things you can do is become better at selecting your friends, as we often choose people who mirror our personality, and when choosing a partner, we are most likely to choose someone who will complement our brain type and disguise our weaknesses. Let’s explore each brain dominance and find out which is most similar to you!

Basal Left

If you love routine and find yourself voluntarily doing the same things every day, in the same order, and for roughly the same amount of time, you are likely a basal left. Basal lefts like predictability and being able to control the time it takes to do something. There are great values to this procedural way of thinking, as you can let your brain do its thing automatically while you focus on other projects that need your attention. People can always count on a basal left to be productive and dependable. You know someone in your life is a basal left if you often hear them say phrases like ‘Let’s play it safe’, and ‘The instructions say…’. However, there are disadvantages to this mode, as it is not easy for basal lefts to accept unexpected interruptions. When something unpredictable happens, and a basal left can’t control their surroundings anymore, they can often become confused and find it difficult to be as decisive as usual. Nonetheless, basal lefts have a great ability to follow instructions, organise themselves, and establish good habits that will last them a lifetime.

Basal Right

If you find yourself constantly striving to create a harmonious environment around you and feeling a strong empathy for those who are going through a difficult time, you are most likely a basal right. Basal rights are affectionate and want to help as many people as possible. They can easily adapt to the people they are with and often prefer to communicate through singing, dancing, and touching. Basal rights also respond well to disharmony, as when they see someone upset, they find it easy to offer words of comfort and provide a kind touch. As a basal right, you prefer to interact with others face to face and regularly. People often see basal right abilities as magical, as it can seem like they are reading people’s minds, but to this brain dominance, understanding emotions comes naturally to them. As with every personality type, there are disadvantages to this mode. Basal rights often feel emotions so deeply that it can overwhelm them, making it difficult to be productive and do general day-to-day tasks. Despite this, basal rights have the ability to connect with people and empathise.

Frontal Right

Do you find yourself continuously using your creativity and looking to the future? Would you say you have an active imagination and enjoy expressing yourself? If the answer to these questions is yes, you are likely a frontal right! To frontal rights, life is like a game of Tetris; they’re constantly visualising the best outcomes and are ready to put them into practice, even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly the first go. Frontal rights have their own way of organising their lives; while some people like an efficient way of getting to their documents, this brain dominance likes to file their work in a way that suits them and only them. They are rule-breakers and are known for their quirky sense of humour. However, there are difficulties with this mode, as frontal rights find it extremely challenging to come back down to reality once they’ve allowed their head to reach the clouds and find focussing on a task tough when they have been working on it for a while. Nevertheless, frontal rights are incredible visionaries and can always see the bigger picture.

Frontal Left

If you love analysing details and thinking through situations logically, you are most likely a frontal left. People with this brain dominance prioritise the quickest and easiest solutions and like to use mathematics to solve problems. Frontal lefts love results and strive to create rational outcomes that suit the most sensible people. When this brain type looks at an object or situation, they have the ability to break it down into small parts in their mind and figure out its strengths and weaknesses. Frontal lefts are often very dry in how they communicate and like to tell people the results of their thinking, for example, the decisions they have made. They see themselves as strong leaders and capable decision-makers. However, others sometimes see them as uncaring and critical. Nevertheless, frontal lefts are incredible at staying on track and analysing critical situations.

By Pia Louisa