Memory True or False
Instructions: Read each statement carefully and mark whether it is True (T) or False (F).
- 1.
Humans only use 10% of their brain.
- 2.
Short-term memory can typically hold about 7 items at once.
- 3.
The brain consumes about 20% of the body's total energy despite being only 2% of body weight.
- 4.
Memory always gets worse as you age — there's nothing you can do about it.
- 5.
Sleep plays a critical role in consolidating memories.
- 6.
Your brain stops developing new neurons (brain cells) after childhood.
- 7.
Deja vu may be caused by a small glitch in memory processing in the brain.
- 8.
Multitasking is an efficient way to get things done because the brain processes multiple tasks simultaneously.
- 9.
Strong emotions can make memories more vivid and long-lasting.
- 10.
Left-brained people are always more logical, while right-brained people are always more creative.
- 11.
The hippocampus is a key brain region involved in forming new memories.
- 12.
Listening to classical music (the 'Mozart Effect') permanently increases intelligence.
- 13.
Mnemonics — memory tricks like acronyms and rhymes — have been used since ancient Greek times.
- 14.
Stress always harms memory and never helps it.
- 15.
The brain can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds.
- 16.
Photographic memory (total recall of visual details) is a scientifically proven ability in some adults.
- 17.
Regular physical exercise can improve memory and cognitive function.
- 18.
Your brain is more active at night while you're sleeping than during the day.
- 19.
Brain games and puzzles can completely prevent Alzheimer's disease.
- 20.
The human brain contains approximately 86 billion neurons.
Answer Key
This is a popular myth. Brain scans show that we use virtually every part of the brain, and most of the brain is active most of the time.
Psychologist George Miller's famous 1956 paper described the 'magical number seven, plus or minus two' as the capacity of short-term memory.
The brain is an energy-hungry organ, using roughly 20 watts of power — about the same as a dim light bulb.
While some memory decline is normal with aging, regular mental exercise, physical activity, and social engagement can help maintain and even improve memory.
During sleep, the brain replays and strengthens memories formed during the day, moving them from short-term to long-term storage.
Research has shown that neurogenesis — the creation of new neurons — continues in certain brain areas throughout adulthood, particularly in the hippocampus.
Scientists believe deja vu occurs when there's a brief delay in signal transfer between brain regions, making a new experience feel like a memory.
The brain actually switches rapidly between tasks rather than doing them simultaneously. This 'task switching' reduces efficiency and increases errors.
The amygdala, which processes emotions, works with the hippocampus to create stronger memory traces for emotional events — which is why we remember significant moments so clearly.
Brain imaging studies show that people use both hemispheres roughly equally. The idea of strict left-brain/right-brain personality types is an oversimplification.
The hippocampus acts as the brain's memory center, converting short-term memories into long-term ones. Damage to it can cause severe memory problems.
The original 1993 study only showed a small, temporary improvement in spatial reasoning. Subsequent research has not confirmed any lasting IQ boost from listening to Mozart.
The ancient Greeks developed the 'method of loci' (memory palace technique), and the word 'mnemonic' comes from Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory.
Moderate short-term stress can actually sharpen focus and enhance memory formation. It's chronic, prolonged stress that damages memory by raising cortisol levels.
MIT researchers found that the brain can identify images seen for as little as 13 milliseconds, much faster than the blink of an eye.
True 'photographic memory' (eidetic memory in adults) has never been proven in controlled scientific studies. Some people have exceptional memories, but not literally photographic ones.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and promotes the growth of new brain cells, particularly in the hippocampus. Studies show it can improve memory at any age.
During REM sleep, the brain is extremely active — processing information, consolidating memories, and performing essential maintenance functions.
While mental stimulation is beneficial and may help build 'cognitive reserve,' there is no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer's. It involves complex genetic and environmental factors.
A 2009 study by Brazilian neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel determined the human brain has about 86 billion neurons, each connecting to thousands of others.