Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School

Brain Rule #8 states, “Stimulate more of the senses” (161). The brain is structured to integrate senses. For example, at a movie theater, one watches two actors communicate with one another on a screen. However, the audio for the film emanates from speakers around the room. The brain integrates hearing and seeing senses to make it feel as though the words are coming from the actors on the screen in the front of the room. The brain is able to take in billions of bits of sensory information and combine them to form memories of coherent experience. Perception requires three processes: sensing, routing, and perceiving. First, sensory information is gathered from the environment. Then the brain converts sensory information into electrical language that can be encoded and processed. Once the brain has scattered the information to its various regions, it then reassembles the information in the cortices. A person’s previous experiences may influence their perception, which can lead to different interpretations of the same event.

The brain works desperately to combine sensory information. Scientists performed experiments in which subjects were exposed to single-sensory information. Scans of the participants’ brains showed parts of the brain connected to other senses unexpectedly lighting up, proving that the brain was trying to take in information in other forms as well. In studies to see what senses would lead to greater output and memory, those who received information using multisensory techniques were more likely to remember the information. Odor can lead to strong memory recall. A medical student who had previously fought in Vietnam displayed no signs of trauma after the war. However, when he witnessed his first surgery and smelled the cauterizing tool being used on blood vessels, he was immediately transported to his experiences in the war. Although smell cannot, by itself, recall declarative memory, it can help boost it.

Medina argues that schools and businesses can benefit from incorporating multimedia learning. Bringing words and pictures together helps students to learn better. Businesses can also utilize sensory branding to boost sales. The more senses that are at play during learning, the more likely the information will be encoded.

Brain Rule #9 states, “Vision trumps all other senses” (181). Visual processing controls much of the information that the brain takes in and perceives. In one study, wine experts were given white wine that had been colored using red food dye. The experts immediately classified the wine as red and used the specific vocabulary reserved for red wine. Many assume that sight is a reliable and uncomplicated process. However, research shows that it is extremely complex and inaccurate. What we call “sight” is actually the brain’s approximation of what the eyes physically see. The brain reassembles the bits of information brought in through the retina and scattered throughout various regions in a way that represents only calculations of what may have occurred. In the optic disk of the eye, retinal neurons gather and create blind spots. However, human eyes do not perceive these blind spots because their brains fill in the details.

While each eye works independently and sees different things, the brain compiles the information from both eyes into a coherent experience. This means that the brain is presenting only its best guess as to what is happening rather than an exacting representation. One reason for this is that the world is three-dimensional, while human eyes use two-dimensional processing. Vision consumes approximately half of brain activity, and it trumps all other senses. Studies show that the more visual input is utilized, the more likely the individual will recognize and recall the information. Text is less efficient because the brain actively works to break down the parts of letters and make sense of them—even when the reader is an experienced one. The need to visualize is made apparent in the way the brain forms pictures while an individual reads.

Humans pay more attention to visuals that are in color and in motion. Medina explains that research is limited regarding what types of pictures are most effective for encoding and processing. However, including video or animation is proven to increase attention and memory. Schools and businesses can capitalize on this brain rule by utilizing more pictures and less text. PowerPoint presentations should present more pictures than words.