Character tests, relationship tests, personality analyses… Today, we encounter such content everywhere.
But this time, we are after a much more intriguing question: How much of your brain do you actually use?
The popular belief that “we only use 10% of our brain” sounds like a mysterious and fascinating claim.
But is it really true? What could the remaining 90% of our brain possibly be doing?
Let’s take a closer look at the origins of this idea, its scientific basis, and its validity today.
The Origin Of The 10% Idea: Where Did It Come From?
The notion that we use only 10% of our brain goes back much further than most people think.
In the 19th century, French neuropsychologist Pierre Flourens conducted a series of remarkable experiments on pigeons, chickens, and frogs.
By removing certain parts of their brains, he observed how their behavior changed.
In some cases, the absence of major behavioral changes led researchers to consider the possibility that “some regions of the brain might be useless” (Anum et al., 2024).
These observations resonated among scientists of the time. Later, in the early 20th century, one of the founding figures of psychology, William James, wrote in 1907 that humans use only a small portion of their mental and physical potential.
What James actually meant, however, was not that we use only a small portion of our brain, but that we fail to fully realize our potential.
Over time, this statement was distorted into the popular belief that “only 10% of the human brain is active.”
Eventually, this idea spread beyond the scientific community and entered popular culture.
In films like Limitless and Lucy, characters gain access to the “full capacity” of their brains through special chemicals, achieving superhuman intelligence.
Such cinematic depictions have further reinforced the public’s fascination with the 10% myth.
Scientific Facts: How Much Of Our Brain Do We Really Use?
So, what does science actually say about this?
Since the second half of the 20th century, the development of brain imaging technologies such as PET, fMRI, and EEG has allowed us to directly observe how the brain functions.
The data obtained through these techniques clearly show that it’s not just a small portion but nearly the entire brain that remains active.
The key point here is that the brain uses different regions for different tasks.
For instance, when walking, the motor cortex is more active; when speaking, the Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are more engaged (Anum et al., 2024).
This means that some regions may be more active at certain times and less active at others — but none remain completely idle.
The brain constantly operates through regional coordination depending on the task.
To understand this more clearly, we can look at the famous H.M. case, which holds an important place in the history of psychology.
The patient, who underwent surgery to remove the hippocampus to treat epilepsy, initially showed no major changes.
However, over time, it became evident that he could no longer form new memories.
This case demonstrated that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in memory and that no part of the brain is useless (Wooldridge, 2024).
Thus, our brain is not an organ made up of inactive regions; every part serves a specific function.
Visual perception, movement, speech, memory, emotional response — all are managed by different regions that continuously interact with each other as an integrated system.
The Power Of A Popular Myth: Why Do We Still Believe It?
Even though scientific evidence shows that we use our entire brain, studies indicate that around 50% of people worldwide may still believe in this myth (Hagel & Hed).
The persistence of this misconception can largely be attributed to popular culture, misinformation on the internet, and the rapid spread of unverified claims through social media.
Repeating a piece of information doesn’t make it true.
However, the human mind tends to perceive frequently repeated claims as “true.”
That’s why, despite being scientifically disproven, the “we use only 10% of our brain” claim continues to persist.
To ensure the accurate dissemination of scientific knowledge, individuals must turn to reliable, evidence-based sources.
Instead of social media posts or blog articles, peer-reviewed journals and scientific reports provide the most accurate information.
Cultivating this habit is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Conclusion: Our Brain Is More Active Than We Think
All this evidence clearly shows that the idea of using only 10% of our brain is a myth.
Modern neuroscience has proven that all regions of the brain are active at different times and for different functions.
In other words, our brain is constantly active — its activity simply varies depending on the task (Chew, 2017).
Perhaps the real question is not how much of our brain we use, but how we direct the capacity we have.
In thinking, creating, learning, and remembering, our brain works continuously.
Its development depends not on the percentage we use, but on how we use it.
Science continues to unravel the mysteries of the human brain.
But one thing is certain: our brain is far more active, complex, and magnificent than we ever imagined.
Stay healthy, stay scientific!
Recommended Sources
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Cytowic, R. E. (2014). What percentage of your brain do you use? TED-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing.
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Myth: We Only Use 10% of Our Brains. Association for Psychological Science.
(If you’d like to explore more myths like the 10% myth, this article is a must-read!)
References
Anum, S. R., Shafiq, M., Fatima, S., Bibi, A., Khan, A. U., Naz, S., & Muzammal, M. (2024). Evolution of the human brain and the myth of its ten-percent use. Social Evolution & History, 23(2), 44–69.
Chew, S. L. (2017, May 7). Myth: We only use 10% of our brains. Psychological Science.
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/uncategorized/myth-we-only-use-10-of-our-brains.html
Cytowic, R. E. (2014). What percentage of your brain do you use? TED-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing.
Hagel, M., & Hed, L. Misconceptions Research Project: The Myth that We Only Use 10% of Our Brains.
James, W. (1907). The Energies of Men. Science, NS. 25 (No. 635), 321–332.
Wooldridge, L. (2024, July 30). Patient H.M.: Neuroscience’s favorite subject. PennNeuroKnow.
https://pennneuroknow.com/2024/07/30/patient-h-m-neurosciences-favorite-subject/