By CHRISTOPHER CHABRIS and DANIEL SIMONS Pop quiz: Which of
these statements is false? 1. We use only 10% of our brain. 2.
Environments rich in stimuli improve the brains of preschool
children. 3. Individuals learn better when they receive
information in their preferred learning style, whether auditory,
visual or kinesthetic. If you picked the first one,
congratulations. The idea that we use only 10% of our brain is
patently false. Yet it so permeates popular culture that, among
psychologists and neuroscientists, it is known as the "10%
myth." Contrary to popular belief, the entire brain is put to
use—unused neurons die and unused circuits atrophy. Reports of
neuroimaging research might perpetuate the myth by showing only
a small number of areas "lighting up" in a brain scan, but those
are just areas that have more than a base line level of
activity; the dark regions aren't dormant or unused. Did you
agree with the other two statements? If so, you fell into our
trap. All three statements are false—or at least