Lecture 9: Challenges to Ericsson's Theory

Question 1

physical advantages and expert performance

Answer 1

• There is a tendency to think that great athletes are just really physically gifted
• Studies show that this is not the case

Question 2

mechanisms that mediate expert performance

Answer 2

• “Distinctive physiological characteristics of experts are accurately characterized as physiological adaptations to extended periods of intense training”
• “Cognitive mechanisms responsible for the acquisition of expert performance involve complex acquired representations which facilitate expert’s ability to plan, monitor, and reason about their performance.”

Question 3

problem with testing Ericsson’s theory

Answer 3

Cannot do a randomized controlled study where kids at young ages are assigned to extensive deliberate practice during critical developmental periods.

Question 4

how can we test Ericsson’s theory?

Answer 4

case experiments

Question 5

why did Russian ballet star Sergei Polunin become so successful?

Answer 5

• Exposure
• Modelling
• Parental valuing purposeful practice

Question 6

Wunderkind phenomenon

Answer 6

another word for a child prodigy

Question 7

Gardener’s response to Ericsson and Charness

Answer 7

It requires deliberate practice plus some innate skill to become an expert in a domain

Question 8

Ericsson and Charness’ response to Gardener

Answer 8

• “We prefer to attribute the development of even such prerequisite abilities to extensive prior experience and relevant training
• Consistent with this argument, Suzuki teachers who work with very young children do not believe in innate music talent. They attribute motivation for practice to improvements in performance, which in turn are a direct result of carefully designed practice activities that assure success.”

Question 9

Ellen Winner on expert performance

Answer 9

• Premier expert on giftedness in school
• Seeks to contradict E&C theory that expert performance has nothing to do with innate talent
• “There are simply too many achievements of early prodigies to be discounted and they are too consistent…”

Question 10

Evidence of atypical brain organization among gifted children

Answer 10

• Non-right-handness
• More bilateral brain organizations

Question 11

Ericsson and Charness’ response to atypical brain organization among gifted children

Answer 11

London taxi drivers, jugglers, and memory experts all develop their skills

Question 12

can we all be experts?

Answer 12

Yes, but there are a lot of barriers

Question 13

if Ericsson is correct, what should our focus be on?

Answer 13

on what represents effective deliberate practice in a field

Question 14

barriers to expert performance

Answer 14

• Early exposure
• Exposure during critical development period
• Keen interest in the domain
• Insufficient self-regularory skill to maintain practice regimen
• Financial resources
• Lack of top-level instruction
• Demotivating instruction at a critical time
• Excessive practice leading to injury and burnout

Question 15

Ericsson on genetic factors

Answer 15

• “Intense and sustained training activity produces biochemical side products that trigger the activation of dormant genes in the athletes DNA which in turn initiate anatomical changes..”
• “Healthy children appear to have the prerequisite genes as part of their DNA but few engage in the type, intensity, and duration of required practice that would achieve the desired adaptation.”