Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Evidence: Regulation
Shenk states in the evidence section note 69 (254) that directed practice changes the environment of particular cells in the body. It takes the body out of homeostasis according to Shenk. How does the theme of regulation involving hormones and feedback relate to the idea of changed gene expression through a change in the environment? Use details to elaborate on some ways where practice could lead to a change in gene expression and thus enhance "talent" or proficiency in an area of expertise.
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Practice, technique, and mind-set are important to one’s success and are equally essential. Ultimately, though, the mind-set is the factor that encompasses all of those other factors. One’s mindset is what pushes them to practice for hours in order to achieve mastery of a skill. This proves that those who are not ‘gifted’ can be just as successful as those with exceptional genes with the right kind of mind-set. Examples from history prove that deliberate practice and hard work brought on by a strong mindset are what have led all geniuses to their success, completely disproving the concept of ‘giftedness’. This growth mindset technique is also upheld through the biology concept of the relationship between structure and function.
ReplyDeleteShenk wrote that thousands of hours of practice over the course of many years are necessary to achieve extraordinary success. He used Mozart as the greatest example to disprove the notion of ‘giftedness’ and special genes. ‘Over about ten years, Mozart voraciously incorporated different styles and motifs and developed his own voice… we do not- and cannot- know our limits unless and until we push ourselves to them’ (71). The difficulty in achieving success is finding the power inside of us to keep the strong growth mindset. This mindset includes a drive to be successful and understanding that this can only be accomplished through diligent practice using responsive techniques, while being able to pick up where you left off after failing. In other words, achieving success is a way of life.
The concept of structure and function can be seen with the brain. In the London cabbies experiment, it was found that cabbies who had been driving for longer had larger posterior hippocampuses than the average human, and the size even correlated to the length of their career. This showed that ‘spatial tasks were actively changing the cabbies’ brains…”changes in hippocampal gray matter… are acquired.”’ (35).
In order to maintain homeostasis in the extreme situations that athletes put themselves in, the body must adapt for them to survive. This is why the brain and body change for the athlete to show such high performance. This concept parallels with the way hormones are triggered to be released by environmental stimuli and allow the body to maintain homeostasis in a changed environment. The brain can be seen as a receptor to a hormone, and the hormone can be seen as the practice that is put into play when one has the mindset to become a genius. This mindset is the stimuli to the release of the ‘hormone’.
So, in order the truly change the expression of one’s genes, one must have the mindset to work hard in order to do so. Then, practice is the top priority in order to change the output of the body. The structure of genes directly affects their function in the body, and triggering a gene to turn on takes a lot of work, not just an excellent inherited genetic code. This can be seen in athletes, as it has often been found that athletes have brains that show different abilities than the average human being. An experiment was done in 2010 to see why baseball athletes often have noticeably quicker, stronger decision making skills. The study ‘measured the brain waves of karate champions and ordinary people, at rest with their eyes closed, and compared them. The athletes, it turned out, emitted stronger alpha waves, which indicate a restful state…. an athlete’s brain is like a race car idling in neutral, ready to spring into action.’ (http://discovermagazine.com/2010/apr/16-the-brain-athletes-are-geniuses). This study shows that through their hard, deliberate practice, athletes in fact change the way their brains work. The brain’s structure is altered in their practice and work, and therefore it’s function is affected and is better adapted to their type of environmental situations. So, one can be born with great genes for athletics, but practice- hours of practice- can actually change the shape of the brain.
Michaela Margolis (mmargolis989@gmail.com)