Dispelling the myth: Training in education or neuroscience decreases but does not eliminate beliefs in neuromyths

Macdonald, K., Germine, L., Anderson, A., Christodoulou, J. A., & McGrath, L. M. (2017). Dispelling the myth: Training in education or neuroscience decreases but does not eliminate beliefs in neuromyths. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01314 

Summary: This study is the first to use a large sample from the United States to compare the prevalence and predictors of neuromyths among educators, the general public, and individuals with high neuroscience exposure. We found that a core group of 7 “classic” neuromyths factored together (items related to learning styles, dyslexia, the Mozart effect, the impact of sugar on attention, right-brain/left-brain learners, and using 10% of the brain). The general public endorsed the greatest number of neuromyths, with significantly fewer by educators, and still fewer endorsed by the high neuroscience exposure group. The two most commonly endorsed neuromyths across all groups were related to learning styles and dyslexia.