Advertiement Supporting Myth

George Padavick
Per. 7

The myth I am investigating has been causing some controversy over the past few years. The myth states that humans only use 10 percent of their brain power. People have been fascinated by this myth since the early 1900’s when an American psychologist by the name of William James first introduced the idea that the average person only uses 10 percent of their total brain capacity. Even though James originally meant that most people do not live up to there potential, the idea was later turned into the 10 percent of brain myth. Despite having been a misunderstood idea, the myth was still used to explain psychics and brilliant minds such as Albert Einstein. Some scientists believe that the myth is still around because it explains what we don’t know about our own brains.

Supporters of the myth often misunderstand other research concerning the brain as well. For example, studies have shown that only 10 percent of your brain is neurons while the rest is glial cells. This study was misinterpreted as a support for the myth. Still, the main support for the myth is that we only understand a fraction of our brain, and what it does. Therefore, if our understanding of the human brain is quite low, supporters have inappropriately concluded that we must only use a fraction of it.

Despite the desire for this myth to be true, it is in fact false. Studies on the brain such as functional brain imaging studies show that the entire brain is active even when we are sleeping. However, the brain focuses its use in the section that it needs to complete each individual task. So while we are sleeping we only use the small fraction of the brain that controls our senses and motor activity. Other areas are relatively dormant since they are not being used temporarily. This does not mean that we don’t use all of our brain power at one time or another. Unfortunately this myth has been misunderstood for many years, and no matter what new research proves, it will continue to be propagated because of some people’s desire for it to be true.

Video on Myth: http://www.ehow.com/video_4984761_how-much-brain-do-humans.html

Works Sited
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=people-only-use-10-percent-of-brain&page=2

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/tenper.html

http://www.snopes.com/science/stats/10percent.asp