Why You May Have Heard Humans Only Use 10% of the Brain and Why That's Wrong

A common myth is that humans only use 10 percent of their brainpower. About 65 percent of Americans believe this, according to a 2013 study. A 1998 study showed that a third of psychology majors, who focus on the brain, also believe this.

However, scientists have consistently shown that humans use their entire brain throughout the day.

Neuropsychology is concerned with how the brain influences someone's behaviour, emotion, and cognition. Different parts of the brain are responsible for specific functions, but the entire brain works together to do an activity.

For example, while reading this text, parts of your brain responsible for vision, reading comprehension, and holding your phone, will be more active. On a brain image, these areas will appear in coloured splotches, while other areas will be grey. The grey areas are still active, just to a lesser degree.