Module 4 - 1 Renaissance Learning & Unlocking Your Potential, Part I Flashcards
What are the two tips on how your brain can become a better learner from Terry in the first video of this module?
- Physical Exercise
2. Learn when the brain is prepared (critical development periods)
What is a place where new neurons are born every day?
the hippocampus
What happens with new neurons when you learn?
New neurons in the hippocampus are recruited during learning.
What helps new neurons survive?
- Use (they die if not used)
2. Exercise
What is the critical development period for first lanugage acquisition?
Up to puberty
When is the critical development period for binocular depth perception?
First two years of life
Can something be learned or trained outside of the critical development period?
Yes, but it will take longer.
Ex: woman who trained her binocular depth perception through exercises
What four things are the prefrontal cortex involved in?
- Complex analysis of social behaviors
- Decision making
- Planning
- Language
What happened to EVR, the patient with a stroke in his prefrontal cortex?
He was ruined by bad financial decisions and bad social interactions - lost his home and family.
True or False
Learning progresses logically and each day adds a neat package to your knowledge shelf.
False
When things that made sense suddenly seem confusing it seems that your mind is
restructuring it’s understanding and building a more solid foundation.
After you emerge from a period of frustrating step backwards…
you will find that your knowledge base takes a surprising leap forward.
Metaphors are good for…
- Remembering
2. Understanding
Metaphors help glue ideas into your mind because…
they make a connection to neural structures already there.
True or False
One technique for understanding and remembering concepts is to pretend you are the concept.
True
True or False
Metaphors work only for the arts.
False, they work for arts and sciences.
What do you do when your understanding becomes more sophisticated than the metaphor you used to grasp the initial concept?
Revise the metaphor or toss it out and choose a new one.
What may be a draw back of having a larger than average working memory?
May have a harder time with Einstellung - connecting information with other parts of the brain like the sensory cortex- and being creative.
What can lift average brains into the realm of those with more natural gifts?
Deliberate practice
How are sports and science or math learning similar?
It requires lots of practice to get the “muscle memory” or chunks that allow you to act/think rapidly based on this knowledge and experience, without thinking through each piece of it.
Why do you understand better after using a procedure a lot than after having an expert explain something to you?
Your mind constructed the patterns of meaning resulting in greater understanding rather than mere acceptance.
What is it called when you are sure your incompetence is about to catch up with you, despite just having done well?
Imposter syndrome
What is Santiago Ramon y Cajal known for?
Father of Modern Neuroscience
What part of the brain may not fully develop until a person’s 20s, resulting in difficulties in the teens? What is it?
Myelin sheath
Fatty insulation that helps move signals quickly along neurons
Why is the late development of the myelin sheath problematic?
Wiring between intention and control areas not completely formed, causing trouble controlling impulsive behavior.
How can we help build the myelin sheath over neural circuits?
Use the circuits
What did Cajal call “the virtue of the less brilliant”?
perseverance
What did Cajal consider the keys to his success?
- perseverance
- ability to change his mind
- ability to admit errors
Cajal pointed out that brilliant people may do brilliant work but like anyone else can be
- careless
- biased
What happened to Darwin before he signed up to be a naturalist on his famous voyage?
Flunked out of medical school
When is empathy not universally beneficial and what is needed in this case instead?
When others are trying to undermine your efforts and achievements.
Cool dispassion helps you keep focused and tune out those people.
