Myths and Facts: Left-Brain, Right-Brain Function, Learning Styles and Sensory Processing

Post by Lani Cupo

The brain is a complex organ embedded in a dynamic system, and there is still much about it that we do not know. Over the decades, some myths and misconceptions have permeated popular culture and even educational curricula. While some are mere rumors, others stem from outdated scientific theories that have since been debunked. Here we explore several prevalent myths about the brain, describe the evidence against them, and offer some brain facts in their stead.

Myth #1: One of the most enduring myths in neuroscience is that the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for logical thought, the right hemisphere is responsible for creativity, and that individuals are governed mainly by one hemisphere or the other, determining if they are left-brained (more logical), or right-brained (more creative). Despite the popularity of this myth (you can find a lot of beautiful merchandise on Etsy), there is no neuroscientific evidence to support this hypothesis (Nielsen et al., 2013). So, where does this myth originate?

History and facts: This myth certainly is not new. In the 1980s it became popular among art educators (Wieder, 1984), and was born out of earlier research. In the 1960s, patients with severe epilepsy underwent a surgical procedure known as a corpus callosotomy, where the corpus callosum, or the white matter bundle connecting the two hemispheres, is severed. This procedure helps to reduce the severity of seizures and also reveals fascinating discoveries about the two hemispheres (Corballis, 2014).

You may know that each hemisphere of the brain is responsible for the opposite side of the body. In groundbreaking experiments researchers would display a word (e.g., “face”) to either the left or right eye. If the right eye saw the word, the split-brain participant could answer that they saw the word “face”. However, if the left eye sees the word “face”, and the participant is asked what they saw they would respond “nothing”. But if the participant is asked to draw what they saw, they can do so. This is because speech is heavily left-lateralized—that is, speech and language computation largely take place in the left hemisphere of the brain. Roger Sperry was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this work in 1981(Wolman, 2012). People may find the left-brain-right-brain dichotomy so compelling because it is based on a nugget of truth—that some brain functions are regionally specific. It also appeals to the so-called Barnum Effect, where people accept vague, often flattering character assessments as true and specific, as is the case with horoscopes.

Prevalence: If you believed or were taught the left-brain/right-brain myth, you are not alone! One study in 2017 revealed that 64% of adults sampled from the general population agreed with this myth, making it one of the most prevalent misconceptions about the brain (Macdonald et al., 2017).

Myth #2: One of the most prevalent neuromyths is that individuals absorb information better if it is presented in a particular learning style, such as visual, auditory, written, or kinesthetic (touch). This theory of ‘learning styles’ seems to make intuitive sense and appeals to educators who want to make education accessible to their diverse student populations. Unfortunately, there is currently no scientific evidence to support it (Newton et al., 2020).

History and facts: The origins of this myth are even older than the last. In 334 BC, Aristotle referenced individual differences among children, pointing out their “specific talents and skills” (Reiff, 1992), however the theory of ‘learning styles’ gained traction throughout the 1900s. Studies suggest that teachers from across the world use the learning styles myth in the classroom, and that there has been no noticeable decrease in this belief over time (Newton et al., 2020). Many U.S. states that require teachers to pass a computerized test for licensing (29 of 34) even provide free study material that teach ‘learning styles’ (Furey, 2020). While it may seem harmless to present information to students through a variety of methods, some argue that the technique can have insidious consequences (Zwaagstra, 2022). First, it can be self-fulfilling: if students are told they are visual learners, they may not pay close attention to reading assignments they believe they are unsuited for. Second, it can drastically overburden teachers who already carry a heavy load, as they may feel obliged to present an entire lesson through three or more different techniques (Zwaagstra, 2022).

Prevalence: Were you taught the ‘learning style’ myth? This misconception is particularly widespread, with 93% of adults in the general population stating they believe it. Not only that, but 78% of individuals who have taken a college or university course related to the brain or neuroscience believe it as well (Macdonald et al., 2017)!

Myth #3: Like me, many of you probably learned about the tongue map in school. Sweet is up front, right? Actually, no! The tongue map is a myth of sensory perception, and one that is still frequently taught today.

History and facts: In 1901, a German scientist published a paper reporting on his research that parts of the tongue, namely the edges, are more sensitive to taste than the center of the tongue (Haenig, 1901). This is actually true! But he also published an illustration that seemed to suggest slight variation in where each flavor (salty, sweet, bitter, and sour—no umami at that time) were most noticeable (Munger, 2017). Then, in the 1940s, Edwin Boring published a book with a diagram of a tongue, the regions for each flavor delineated (Munger, 2017; Boring, 1942). One possible reason for this map’s popularity is its apparent simplicity, which appeals to educators teaching children about the senses (Spence, 2022). In reality, taste is more complex than Boring would have readers believe. Taste buds (clusters of 10-50 nerve endings) line the tongue, soft palate, and pharynx (throat), and all receptors are capable of responding to all tastes (Spence, 2022; Institute, 2016). Incidentally, the bumps you may notice on your tongue are not taste buds, they are taste papillae, structures that contain several taste buds, and the sensory cells in taste buds are renewed once a week. When a food or liquid comes in contact with the sensory cells, the cells are activated by the chemicals responsible for taste. While about half of the cells respond to all five basic tastes (Institute, 2016), they each have a ranking of preferred tastes. For example, a cell may respond most to sweet, then bitter, sour, umami, and salty. The signal travels through nerves to the medulla, thalamus, “primary taste cortex” (insula and frontal operculum), and higher association cortices (Rolls, 2019). In the brain, taste information from the mouth can be integrated to form a representation of what we are eating.

Prevalence: While reliable statistics on the prevalence of belief in the taste map and whether it is still included in elementary school curricula today were difficult to find, there are many sources that debunk the taste map. Hopefully, today’s educators are teaching taste through a more nuanced lens. 

Brian myths and misconceptions permeate our modern discourse. Sometimes when a brain “fact” seems too simple to be true, it very well may not be. The more we learn about the brain, the more nuanced our understanding becomes. As good scientists and learners, we should always be open to changing our minds when presented with reasonable evidence.

References +

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