Some experimental results that have been generalized and disseminated in the educational field are just neuromyths. Erroneous or unfounded beliefs that link neuroscientific findings to education and consequently impact the educational application sphere.
What is a neuromyth?
The word neuromyth refers, then, to the misinterpretations that have been made of neurosciences, creating false premises upon which educational methods are built and generating an increasingly broad commercial offer. Thus, ineffective teaching practices and methods not scientifically evaluated have been justified.
Many of these neuromyths are simply biased distortions of scientific facts; the out-of-context use of certain terminology has contributed to establishing a significant gap between the knowledge acquired in neurosciences in the last 30 years and its application in the educational field. According to Paulo Barraza, Doctor in Psychology specializing in the area of cognitive neurosciences, most neuromyths proliferate because they are shielded by shared social aspirations.
We only use 10% of our brain
In this way, with the hope of individualized education or the aspiration to teach better, products are offered that relate advances in neurosciences and learning, extending some findings beyond their proper interpretation. One of the most widespread neuromyths is the idea that we only use 10% of our brain. This idea can seem comforting, fostering the belief that we possess great hidden potential yet to be developed. Likewise, if 90% of our mind is not normally used, perhaps it could be used in case of brain injury.
However, cognitive neuroscience professor Barry Gordon explains that we virtually use every part of the brain, and almost the entire brain is active almost all the time. The rapid spread and success of this neuromyth may be due to our vanity as a species, and the difficulty of accepting our limitations; an uninteresting truth can be overshadowed by an exciting falsehood.
We learn almost everything before the age of 3
Another of the neuromyths worth mentioning relates to critical learning periods in childhood. A myth in this regard would be that the vast majority of learning occurs between 0 and 3 years of age, and then brain development slows down. The main argument for reaching this false conclusion is neuroplasticity. However, today we know that brain plasticity lasts a lifetime. Although it is true that children are especially sensitive to certain types of learning during specific periods, this does not imply that they cannot continue learning throughout life, and certainly these should not be considered “windows of opportunity” that close at age 3.
Today we know that during the first years of life, what matters most for a child’s healthy development is the affective dimension, through the attachment model they develop with their primary caregiver, and definitely not the amount of information they receive. The problem arises precisely when the idea that it might be easier to learn a language in the first years of life, for example, leads to the conclusion that the child should attend Chinese classes instead of spending time with their primary caregiver.
The question is how many fathers and mothers have been stripped of their most natural sense of care, being led to believe that they had to overstimulate their children in the early years due to the well-known “cognitive windows.” Neurosciences do not support the idea that only early childhood can be considered a special time for learning. On the contrary, research in neurological development suggests that the success of educational interventions calls for attention to the specific needs and characteristics of children.
In conclusion, as parents, educators, and educational agents, we must apply common sense. Interpersonal relationships are what give meaning to learning during childhood and adolescence as they shape our sense of identity. Educational methods are innovative because they are true, and not the other way around. And methods are true when they respond to the nature of each particular student and are based on scientific evidence, not popular beliefs.
If you are interested in neuromyths and the applications of Neuroeducation in working with children and adolescents, request more information about the ISEP Master’s in Neuroeducation and Optimization of Capacities!