More on the Talent Front
I was happy to find myself reading an article in today's New York Times Magazine that provides some scientific basis for the view that inborn talent is a significant factor in explaining why some people are more expert than others in fields like sports and the arts.As I indicated most recently in this post, I am not sold on the view of Anders Eriksson that "deliberate practice" is pretty much the sole factor underlying an expert's skill and applied knowledge.
In the NYT Magazine article, "The Gregarious Brain," David Dobbs writes about people with a genetically-based condition called Williams syndrome. As Dobbs explains, Williams causes cognitive deficits but is also characterized by "exuberant gregariousness and near-normal language skills."
Dobbs goes on to describe Williams as "perfect for studying not just how genes create intelligence and sociability but also how our powers of thought combine with our desire to bond to create complex social behavior — a huge arena of interaction that largely determines our fates." As one scientist tells Dobbs, "Williams ... is the most compelling model available for studying the genetic bases of human behavior."
The lesson some scientists are drawing from research on Williams syndrome is that "genes (or their absence) do not hard-wire people for certain behaviors. There is no gene for understanding calculus. But genes do shape behavior and personality, and they do so by creating brain structures and functions that favor certain abilities and appetites more than others."
In other words, there is evidence that brain structure conditions what types of experiences a person finds particularly rewarding. When a person seeks to prolong rewarding experience, "already-strong neural circuits get stronger while those in weaker areas may atrophy. Patterns of learning and behavior follow accordingly."
I believe that Eriksson and like-minded researchers need to give these scientific findings and theories — especially the notion that what people are motivated to learn is influenced by the genetic determinants of individual brain structure — greater weight in their own behavioral models.
posted by Karen Nelson @ 11:43 PM
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