The Myth
Humans use only 10 percent of their brains. The statement suggests that 90 percent of the human brain function, whatever that function is, is untapped. The sheer excitement from thinking about the possibility of the statement is attractive to many people. If we have used only 10% of our brain capacity in producing the many human achievements such as science, technology, poetry, art, mathematics and literature — imagine what humanity can achieve if the key to unlocking the 90 percent untapped potential of the brain is discovered!
Thus the statement easily enjoys its popularity among the masses. The 10 percent brain myth is ranked number one in Discovery Health’s Top Ten Brain Myths (Freeman, 2008). U.S. Satellite Broadcasting national ads claims “You only use 11 percent of your brain potential” (Radford, 2000). People claiming to possess psychic powers are enthusiastic in giving the 10 percent brain myth as a scientific basis for explaining the unique ability that they claim to have. Furthermore, a study by Higbee and Clay (1998) showed that the myth is permeating college students majoring in psychology as well. The study also found that the students majoring in psychology are more optimistic with the notion that humans can use more brain power than they normally do (Higbee and Clay, 1998). Seeing these instances, it is clearly evident that the 10 percent brain myth is very popular among the masses. A misconception with such popularity requires a clarification that becomes the basis of this article.
The Origin of the Myth
Widespread as it is, one is intrigued to look for the origin of the myth. The myth might have come from the American philosopher William James’ "The Energies of Men," in which he wrote "We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources” (James, 1914). The myth is also attributed to Albert Einstein and anthropologist Margaret Mead (Chudler, 2013) who might have used the statement in a different contextual meaning. The media was fast to report it and due to the attractiveness of the idea itself, the public propagation of the myth doubled.
Furthermore, paranormals, psychics, New Age gurus, and the like have always used the notion to convince people of their claims. Uri Geller, who famously claims to possess telekinetic power that can bend spoons, wrote “In fact, most of us only use about 10 percent of our brains, if that. The other 90 percent is full of untapped potential and an undiscovered ability, which means our minds are only operating in a very limited way instead of at full stretch. I believe that we once had full power over our minds” (Geller, 1999). Paranormal claims can always find excited audiences and thus, a good ingredient to raise viewer ratings. Such is one of the ways the myth has been propagated.
Debunking the Myth
The 10 percent brain myth is easily debunked because the idea does not stand against scrutiny nor does it have a sound scientific theory supporting it. The most likely possible interpretation of the myth is that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, meaning only 10 percent of the brain is functioning when humans do their daily activities from simple bodily movements to abstract intellectual thoughts. Expressed in a different way, one can say that there is a large part of the brain, up to 90 percent of it, that is not functioning in our daily activities.
In response to the myth, one can refer to an evolutionary standpoint. Wanjek (2003) showed that brain is taking a lot of energy from glucose and oxygen. Weighing only 1/20 of the total weight of the human body, the brain consumes one-fifth of body’s energy. Because evolution by natural selection favors the most effective way of survival, an organ that functions only 10 percent at a time, consuming so much energy and able to ensure survival with just 10 percent functionality would not likely appear.
But how can we be certain that there is no large part of the brain dormant, waiting to be activated? Beyerstein (1999) points out that, “The armamentarium of modern neuroscience decisively repudiates this notion.” The brain imaging technologies, fMRI, PET scans and CAT scans have conclusively found all areas of the brain work depending on the task being performed. There is no part of the brain found inactive, even when one sleeps. There is however, one important point to be made regarding brain imaging scans. PET scan results for instance, show only a specific part related to the task being examined (Chudler, 2013). In other words, often the result was modified to show only which parts of the brain directly related with the observed task for the sake of clarity for the observer. It does not mean that the parts shown to be inactive are actually inactive.
The ardent supporters of the 10 percent brain myth seem to hold a position that the brain functions holistically in every act (Beyerstein, 1999). This holistic position has been replaced with the theory of localization of function in which different parts of the brain process different body function. Today, we know precisely that small lesions in one area of the temporal lobe will disable the human face recognition feature while leaving the ability to perceive other objects normal (Beyerstein, 1999). This is one definitive evidence that the brain works principally with localized functions. In order for the 10 percent brain myth to work, the holistic brain function theory is required, but reality shows that human brains are not the case.
However, the ardent 10 percent brain myth supporters would not give up easily. They would contend that only 10 percent of each of the volume of these specialized areas of the brain is functional while the other 90 percent lies dormant. Beyerstein (1999) brilliantly tackled this proposition by discussing a research which utilized microelectrodes to isolate the electrical responses of single neurons. Originally this procedure is often used only to non-human animals. But under strict ethical guidelines the procedure has been tried to humans as well. Once the microelectrode is set and fixed in a cell to be monitored, a merely few micrometers shift would cause the electrode to lose the current cell and instead monitor the next cell in line. If it were true that 90 percent volume of this cell is dormant, the microelectrode would have found great gaps where active neurons are undetected. Unfortunately, this has never occurred.
Thus, the myth of 10 percent brain function has reasonably been debunked. There is no reason to believe its claims and the ultimate blow from brain imaging scans has destroyed the myth. However, the myth still enjoys its popularity among people. There are always people who sincerely and gladly believe this unproven myth. Again, this is partly due to the attractiveness of the idea which promotes hidden human potentials that might change one’s life: a very hopeful idea. There will always be segments of society that are willing to believe and accept such notion as true in their lives. As a hopeful message, the myth might indeed give a sense of confidence, regardless the status of its truth. Thus the myth, disproved as it is, will always find a place to be reborn again, and again.
References
Beyerstein, B.L. (1999). Whence Cometh the Myth that We Only Use 10% of Our Brains?. In S.D. Salla (Ed.), Mind Myths: Exploring Popular Assumptions About the Mind and Brain (pp. 3-24). New York: John Willey & Sons Ltd.
Geller, U. (1999). Uri Geller's Little Book of Mind-Power: Maximize Your Will to Win. Robson Books.
Higbee, K.L., Clay, S.L. (1998). College Students’ Beliefs in The Ten-Percent Myth. The Journal of Psychology, 132(5), 469-476.
James, W. (1914). Energies of Men. New York: Moffat, Yard and Company.
