How to get a free second opinion - the use of dual-brain psychology in focus groups

The psychiatrist was Dr Fredric Schiffer, and his work on dual-brain psychology has taken Roger Sperry's Nobel-winning split-brain studies into the realm of everyday treatment (predominantly anxiety) and provides (I propose) an interesting method to add to the market researcher's toolkit.

Irrespective of all the hype of the 'power' of the right brain, it is responsible for assisting us with certain perceptions needed for artistic activities. The left brain, on the other hand, controls our ability to use language. So, the right brain is somewhat mute, and the left brain pretty unimaginative (however, in the case of brain damage, each side can develop some of the opposite's ability).

The two halves of the brain are connected by a bundle of nerves called the corpus callosum. I call mine Fred. It's a bit difficult to study each half of the brain in isolation, because they're always communicating via the corpus callosum. Uncontrolled epilepsy is severely distressing, so many patients quite willingly go for the only (and very successful) treatment available to them: cutting through the corpus callosum. This literally cuts the 'wire' that conducts the electrical impulses between the two sides, causing the seizures to stop. Poor Fred.

The results of Sperry's experiments on these patients, who had their Fred 'taken out', were interesting to say the least - for the first time, each side of the brain could be studied independently. For instance, when a picture was flashed into the far left of the left eye (which sends its image to the right brain - remember, there was no Fred - it remained the right brain's secret), they said they saw nothing. However, when asked to point to what they had seen, they could do so correctly. The right brain simply couldn't verbalise what it had seen.

That each side of the brain has a specialised function (and its own unique incompetencies) is now pretty well established. However, it is Schiffer's work on healthy subjects that has made it accessible for marketers. It seems that we have two minds - one more present in reality while the other sees the world little changed from the past. It is the effect of having these two 'sides' which we can use to explore people's connection to their world - a second opinion is always a good thing, even if it does come from one person.

The light from the far side of your right eye goes to your left brain. So, if you just want to stimulate your left brain, covering your left eye and most of your right will do the trick. Although there are special goggles available for this, just holding a piece of paper over your face does the job (see below).

For those who want to know what that means biologically, you can see the effect in the diagram below. The bird is seen (upside down) in the right eye on the left part of the retina (at the back of the eyeball), which then stimulates only the left brain (orange line). If the entire right eye was exposed, the other side of the brain would also get the message (as indicated by the blue dotted line), which would negate what we're trying to do - isolate the stimulus to only one side of the brain.

The marketing application
Although there are no known negative effects to this procedure, I would be reluctant to perform it with an angry focus group armed to the teeth.

The first step is to do it yourself. Take a sheet of paper and hold it over your face so that you can just peek from the one eye (as per the pic above).

Now think of anything that is causing you anxiety. If you're normal, that's probably money, but it can be anything that's causing you distress.

Look straight ahead, and hold that position for at least 45 seconds.

Without removing the paper from your eye, write down the words that come to mind.

Without taking a break, do the same with the other eye.
Then compare your list. If it looks something like this, you're doing it right:

Right eye open (left brain)
Spreadsheet, take stock, consolidate debt, talk to someone.

Left eye open (right brain)
Help, what's the use, hopeless.

The Focus Group
You will need a pen and two sheets of paper for each person in the group.
Take them through the above exercise, asking them to think about a specific brand interaction, which could be at point of purchase or consumption.
If you do the right eye first, there will be a few minor objections with many requests to 'get it right'. Some may rebel a little. Just tell them to do it - once they start, the objections cease.
If you start with the left eye, there will probably be a little giggling/horseplay, followed by a deathly silence as people begin to feel the emotional impact of the exercise.
Ask people to volunteer their responses - finding the common thread of the left and right side.

Further reading
See Fredric Schiffer's Of Two Minds and other sources in the Split Brain Collection in www.stratplanning.com's store.