The pedagogical model of the four brains

The four brain model is a way to bring people closer, in a simple and practical way, to the development and functioning of the human brain. The objective of this is that anyone can have, at least in general terms, an idea of ​​how to appropriately interpret the behaviors carried out by their children, students or patients.

However, Knowing how the brain develops and works is essential for anyone. Not only for mothers, fathers, educators or people who have daily contact with children and adolescents, but all members of society.

Like any attempt to simplify something as complex as the human brain, this model may not be 100% true to reality. Even so, it can be useful as a first step to approach this fascinating object of study.

Lines of brain development

The brain has three major lines of development that take place simultaneously. Let’s see them in a schematic way:

Areas posterior to anterior areas of the neocortex: First, the posterior areas of the neocortex develop (those that have to do with perception and memory) and later the anterior or frontal areas (voluntary acts and executive functioning) develop.Subcortex to neocortex: At first the lower areas of the brain (subcortex) are activated and later the upper areas (neocortex) are activated. The former have to do with unconscious processes such as instincts and emotions, while the latter have to do with thoughts and reasoning.Right to left hemisphere: The relationship that a mother establishes with her child in the first weeks and months of life is eminently emotional and relational (right hemisphere), while language, reason and self-control (left hemisphere) will develop much later.

The four brain model

The four-brain pedagogical model divides the brain into four large areas and assigns a color to each of these areas. This way, we talk about the red, green, blue and yellow brain. Furthermore, they are developed in this same order.

The red brain

The red brain is more automatic, unconscious, inherited and instinctive while the yellow brain is voluntary, conscious, learned and future-oriented. The red brain sits at the base of the brain and its main objective is the survival of the person. Every time our life is in danger, the attack, flight or paralysis responses are activated unconsciously and automatically.

The basic survival functions are located in this area of ​​the brain: heartbeat, breathing, activation of the body, etc. It’s a brain here and nowsince it does not have the ability to anticipate the future.

The green brain

The green brain, also known as emotional brain either limbic system. It is located right in the center of the brain and its basic functions have to do with emotion, basic memory, associative and instrumental learning, sociability and attachment relationships.

Every time we feel an emotion such as fear, anger or sadness, this brain is activated, more specifically some structures called brain tonsils.

The blue brain

The blue brain is located in the neocortex, since both the red and green brains are in the subcortex. We could say that the blue brain is the brain of primates and thought.

The brain is active at all times, even when you sleep. In this blue area of ​​the brain we have stored our thoughts, cognitions and everything related to long-term memories.

The yellow brain

Lastly, we have the yellow brain, a part of the brain that, unlike the red, green and blue, has the following characteristics: voluntariness, awareness, perseverance, future-oriented and learned.

The yellow brain is the seat of executive functions such as concentration, impulse control, planning, ethical awareness and emotional self-regulation among others. The yellow brain is located in the prefrontal cortex, just before the forehead.

We say that little children are very cruel and always tell the truth, and the reason for this is because their yellow brain is not sufficiently developed.

Children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, intellectual disability, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have significantly more immature prefrontal cortices (or yellow brains) than their age-matched peers. Fernier (1976) conducted a study research in which he removed the prefrontal cortices of a group of macaques and found that they could not sit still or concentrate on a specific task.

The main function of the yellow brain is to attend to and be aware of the needs of the rest of the brains. (red, green and blue) to be able to make the decision that is most adaptive for the person.

We can say that each of the brains has a specific function: red brain (survival), green (emotions and attachment), blue (thinking and memory) and yellow (executive functions).

The coordination of the four brains: the work of an orchestra conductor

Neuropsychologist Elkhonon Goldberg developed the orchestra conductor metaphor to explain how different areas of the brain coordinate. For an orchestra or symphony to sound good, harmonious and coordinated, the work of the conductor is as important as the work of the different sections (percussion, string wind, etc.) and each of the musicians that are part of it.

If the percussion section or the musician playing the trombone is not in tune that day, no matter how well everyone else does, the end result will not be good. The musicians need the conductor and the conductor needs his musicians. The same thing happens when it comes to brain functioning.

In the amygdala hijacking that Joseph LeDoux described a few decades ago, the emotion (green brain) is much more intense than the ability to control and manage it by the prefrontal cortex (yellow brain). In this case, the yellow brain cannot take care of the green brain due to its intensity, so it needs an external yellow brain to help manage and channel said emotion.

Thus, Although it seems that yellow is the most important of the four brains, they all are, because the brain functions holistically, like an everything. For this reason, any injury, trauma or tumor in any part of the brain will affect the overall functioning and result. Not just the brain of a specific color.

In conclusion, the pedagogical model of the four brains can help understand the development, functioning and connectivity of the different parts of the brain, as well as provide explanations for what happens in the brains of our children and students every time they feel fear, anger or curiosity.

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