Neuromyths die hard

Right brain or left brain?

Creative people are said to be right-brain dominant, while analytical people are left-brain dominant. While some people are more creative and others more analytical, there is no scientific evidence that they use one part of their brain more than another. This myth is based on medical findings from the 19th century, the limitations of which have since been widely documented. At the time, it was even claimed that the left brain was the brain of intelligence and the right brain was the brain of animality. The debate continued and it was in the 90's that the left brain was attributed to the analytics and the right to the creatives (and to women!). Since then, science has shown that both parts of the brain work together, fortunately for us.

What is your learning style?

Some people would learn best by reading, some by listening, and some by manipulating. The idea behind this theory was to match the right type of learning to the participant according to their style to precisely improve the learning process. This approach was born in the 1930's and has encountered significant obstacles: a profusion of typologies has emerged over time, weakening its credibility. This credibility was further undermined by the theoretical differences that opposed even its proponents... The studies carried out on the subject of learning styles were unable to demonstrate the accuracy of this approach. They have even underlined the weakness of its foundations: are styles traits (immutable) or states (modifiable)? Are some styles more effective than others? And so on. The good news is that the researchers were able to demonstrate the benefits of multisensory learning and that participants' attention (and results) improve if the trainer is able to take into account their strengths and weaknesses.

The brain is used at 10% of its capacity

This is a (very) old belief that is mainly based on the fact that the brain is particularly difficult to study. To say that we use only 10% of our brain is therefore a fantasy: imagine what we would be able to do if we triggered the dormant 90%... humans would surely become superheroes. Science has progressed since the first studies on the subject, and is now perfectly capable of proving that we do use all the areas of our brain. The theory that we use only 10% of our brain is (fortunately) completely false, no matter how you look at it. First angle: only 10% of the areas of our brain are used. Magnetic resonance has shown without a doubt that all areas of our brain are used. Another angle: 10% of the cells would be functional. Fortunately not, because in reality, a cell that does not function... dies. Perhaps the most logical reason for this misperception of brain function is that we do not mobilize 100% of our brain simultaneously. We mobilize what we need depending on the context.

It all happens before the age of 6

This is not true and is partly based on an old belief that our initial stock of neurons will only decrease. Research shows that while we lose neurons, we also gain them because we are still capable of complex learning, even at advanced ages. This myth is all the more ridiculous because the age at which we lose neurons varies according to the authors. If it is undeniable that the first years are fundamental in the development of children, it is also true that learning will continue after the age of six. One of the particularities of the brain is its capacity to create new neuronal connections, even in adulthood. The important thing is to maintain the stimulation throughout life.

I am a multitasker!

Some people claim to be able to multitask at the same time! Science shows that they are mostly able to multitask badly! The only multitasking possible is one that incorporates an automatic task (that you can do without thinking about it). For example, having a sustained conversation while you walk. Once learned, walking is an activity that you are able to do without thinking about it. This automatism allows the brain to concentrate on the other task, which requires concentration. Conversely, try answering an important e-mail while participating in a meeting. You will see that if you answer your email correctly, you will have lost parts of the meeting... Factually, it is impossible for the brain to activate the same areas of the brain for different actions. This is true whether you are a man or a woman.

This list of neuromyths is (unfortunately) not exhaustive. The purpose is to show that they are still very present and that we should be vigilant when it comes to learning.

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