Mind myths : exploring popular assumptions about the mind and brain

Currently there is a gap between what scientists know aboutthe mind and brain and the assumptions that others draw from sources of everyday information such as newspapers, popular press and television. Mind Myths attempts to close this gap by bringing together top international neuroscientists and psychologists to provide a fascinating and scientifically reliable insight into the neuropsychological and cognitive phenomena that are frequently reported in the media. A multitude of mind myth topics are tackled, for example the resuscitation from coma thanks to a patient's avourite songs the creativity of the right hemisphere the false memory syndrome the placebo effect learning while sleeping "Mind Myths...includes the remarkably persistent fallacy that we only ever use 10% of our brains, the assumption that our right brains function as artistic hippies and our left as desiccated accountants ...the book is written in a lively style and will, I hope, be read widely by science journalists, and others who help perpetuate the various myths...an excellent focus for an undergraduate seminar, providing a stimulating bridge between the psychological laboratory and the rather untilled field of folk psychology. " From the Foreword by Alan Baddeley This unique book will appeal to professionals and students across the psychology and science disciplines and anyone else with an interest in how the brain works in everyday situations.