neuromythology

Etymology

From neuro- + mythology.

neuromythology means Widespread incorrect beliefs regarding the workings of the brain. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.

Why this word is great

NEUROMYTHOLOGY — [Noun] The collective body of widely held but scientifically inaccurate beliefs about brain function. From neuro- (prefix relating to nerves or the nervous system) + mythology (body of myths or traditional beliefs), it is the folklore of neuroscience—persistent, seductive, and wrong. Unlike "neurotheology" (which studies the neural substrates of spiritual experience) or "neuromyth" (a single false claim), neuromythology is a system, a self-reinforcing canon of errors. It is the left-brain/right-brain dichotomy repeated in boardrooms, the idea that we use only 10% of our cortex whispered in self-help books, the Mozart Effect touted to anxious parents—each a testament to how easily the mind misunderstands itself. We crave simplicity, even when the truth is gloriously messy.

noun

Widespread incorrect beliefs regarding the workings of the brain.“Meronym: neuromyth”