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Reflection about Neuroplasticity
The theory and principles underpinning neuroplasticity
The theory and principles underpinning neuroplasticity
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The evolution of humans is one that allows, and even thrives on constant adaptations. By becoming reactors to the environment humans have been able to survive and eventually thrive. However, these powerful abilities would also bring about some not so obvious implications. In Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Power of Context”, as well as Oliver Sacks’ “The Mind’s Eye” both authors explore the impact of this evolutionary trait. When taken together Gladwell, and Sacks’ essays help to teach that our brains are highly adaptive. Also they both show that reactions are largely out of the individuals control and that reaction influenced by the environment is what prevails. To demonstration how adaptive the brain actually is both authors show that the brain adapts …show more content…
Together Gladwell and Sacks can show how adaptive our brains are by showing how it adapts to the environment as well as how it adapts to certain tasks that it is asked to perform. The human brain’s highly adaptive nature can be seen most clearly when it responds to different aspects of the environment. In his essay Gladwell argues that the “power of context” is what actually has the most influence on people when it comes to behavior; not family background, experiences, or even psychological predisposition. Gladwell claims that, “The essence of the power of context is that the same thing is true for certain kinds of environments—that in ways we don’t necessarily appreciate, our inner states are a result of our outer circumstances.” (Gladwell, 160). Gladwell goes on to show his belief in this idea by explaining how the New York City crime problem was solved by simply changing the environment of the city. Gladwell even takes it a step further when he says “Character is more like a bundle of habits and tendencies and interests, loosely bound together and dependent, at certain times on the circumstance and context.” …show more content…
The consequences of this revelation can have a tremendous impact how we view and understand different issues. Possibly helping to solve things such as the “inner city kid”, or the “ghetto’s”. Understanding where the problem is first is the only way to effectively solve the problems that plague humankind. Thanks to the insights of Gladwell and Sacks it becomes very easy to spot where the problem actually lies. The human brain is highly adaptive. It adapts to what the environment presents, and the context in which one is living in first. The immediate surroundings of someone has a huge impact on not only how they act but also can have lasting impacts on their personality. This trait can be used to help the human race survive and thrive as a species. However, there are always ways to exploit this trait. Not only can it be used to discriminate against others it can also be used to bully others. However, the human brain is not limited to only this form of adaptation. It can also adapt by being told or conditioned to perform a certain way. This brings back some of the power and control to you. It also assures and promotes diversity within a community. And further helps to explain why everyone in the some environment does not act the same. Finally, reactions to challenges as well as difficulties life are not in peoples control, rather the environment people put themselves in is what is in control. The brain is
Malcolm Gladwell, in order to make his argument seem credible, utilizes specific writing techniques. Gladwell frequently uses anecdotes about successful individuals as examples to further strengthen his argument. Gladwell write that, “One warm, spring day in May of 2007, the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Vancouver Giants met for the Memorial Cup hockey championships in Vancouver, British Columbia” (Gladwell 15). Frequently, Gladwell starts each chapter with a story about an individual group. These stories showcase the events and lives of successful people and are followed by Gladwell’s analysis of their success. By using specific, descriptive anecdotes, Gladwell is proving the credibility of his argument. Instead of just reciting his analysis,
Is success is achieved through hard work and dedication? Most people seem to think in this way, only one person who does not think in that way: author Malcolm Gladwell. In his article “10,000 Hours,” he talks about a rule you must follow to be successful; that rule is the 10,000-hour rule. Gladwell uses a study from Anders Ericsson in his article to support his thought; therefore, this article is rhetorically effective because he has credibility and he uses logical evidence to convey his argument.
Throughout life people are always seeking something, whether it is finding out ideals, desires, lovers, and perhaps themselves. However, recognizing, fulfilling, and rising above one’s true self are the hardest things in the world because one always seems certain of him or herself and is strongly influenced by his or her surroundings. Hence, taking the time to practice experiences is a way for an individual to precisely know him or herself and actively participate in society. In the essay, “The Power of Context,” Malcolm Gladwell states that the features of one’s current social and physical environment will strongly influence his or her behaviors. Those actions that an individual conduct in response to the situation
In “the power of content” chapter, Malcolm Gladwell explains how the conditions and circumstances of the times and places influence to the tipping point. He says that we are sensitive to change of our surrounds. He mentions an example about New York City issue in the 1990s when the area was unsafe. It was a story that after George Kelling, who was a consultant of the New York Transit Authority, promoted “Broken Windows” theory, the crime rate went into decline. This theory was that minor offenses such as graffiti or fare-beating were signals that invited much more serious crime. The NY police maintained strict control over these minor offenses. Policemen arrested fare-beaters one by one, and cleaned the graffiti of the trains. As
In Malcom Gladwell’s 1997 article, “The Coolhunt” published by The New Yorker, he discusses the topic of ‘cool’, and how quickly it fluctuates and transforms into something completely different and sometimes the exact opposite of what it previously was, therefor creating problems for merchandisers. Gladwell points out, “The quicker the chase, the quicker the flight. The act of discovering what's cool is what causes cool to move on, which explains the triumphant circularity of coolhunting: because we have coolhunters like DeeDee and Baysie, cool changes more quickly, and because cool changes more quickly, we need coolhunters like DeeDee and Baysie.” Throughout Gladwell’s article, he discloses the findings of DeeDee Gordon and Baysie Wightman, two
When looking at different cultures around the world, people tend to stray from comparing them due to the fact that when claiming one is better than the other it can come off as racist. Malcom Gladwell dances on this line in chapters seven and eight of Outliers. He looks at and compares cultures around the world and claims that success is determined by these factors. I agree with his claim that when considering an individual’s chance of success, the cultural legacies of the person must be considered because of the studies cited by Nalani Ambady, and the evidence Gladwell provides.
The Tipping Point is a book about how hits happen. Utilizing the exploration of pandemics, Gladwell demonstrates how little activities at the ideal time, in the correct spot, and with the right individuals can make a 'tipping point' for an item – the minute when a domino impact is activated. For instance, Hush Puppies "tipped" in 1993, when a couple design forward fashionable people from New York began wearing the moping brand once more. This set off a chain response that fell however the US, expanding deals 70-overlay and making an informal pandemic. Utilizing the three fundamental laws of pestilences, Gladwell traces a straightforward three-guide arrangement toward get your item to its own particular
According to Gladwell, “the tipping point is the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point". The book for the most part seeks to explain and describe the "mysterious" sociological changes that mark everyday life. As it is stated by Gladwell, "ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do". When we critically think about the idea of viruses and how fast they spread, we can understand how powerful Gladwell’s statement really is. All it takes is a single person in the room to spread something as huge as an epidemic, the same in our everyday life, a simple small idea can be the starting point of a big trend. This of course takes place today in our everyday life and is supported by Gladwell’s examples.
Malcolm Gladwell’s “Troublemakers” is an article in which he explores the way societies make generalizations. Malcolm explains how Ontario has banned pit bulls due to a boy being attacked and people viewing that one example to be enough to distinguish all pit bulls as vicious and bloodthirsty. He goes on to employ that all dogs even resembling pit bulls or that have some pit bull mixed into them have been banned as well, because anything that looks like a pit bull has now been deemed dangerous for the people in that society. Not only does Malcolm point out other ways societies generalize people, like racial profiling a terrorist, but he distinguishes how steps could have been taken to eliminate the threat of the pit bull but it seemed to just
Imagine a person who goes to a job interview. The interviewer’s first question may be an easy one-- “what is your name?” The response to such a simple question is automatic, requiring no thought. Now imagine that the second question asked is “who are you, and how do you know?” The interviewee may grapple for the right words to say and sheepishly list a variety of personality traits, which he is supposedly endowed with because his friends “told him so.” A person is able to know who his true self is not by outward confirmation from others, but through self-observation, taking note of how he acts when he is alone, untainted by the influences of family members and friends. In a society which judges people harshly, it is unsurprising that people act differently alone than when in the company of others; thus, to be a genuine person is to act the way one feels inwardly despite external influences such as peer pressure, which causes one to act in a way which is not consistent with his or her values and beliefs. Being authentic is a special breed itself, as it requires courage to live by how one truly feels and not to live by the opinions of others. Through the changing of core beliefs and numbing of emotions, some people choose to live
The one message Gladwell has been preaching so far in the novel is that there is more to success than society thinks. Many individuals believe that these successful figures built their success from the ground up. Gladwell explains that these role models that we look up to when we think of success are definitely hard-working, but are also lucky. Take the Beatles, for instance. The Beatles are renowned as one of the most iconic bands of all time thanks to the talented members of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr. Before they reached success, they had to get some luck in the process. When they were still starting out, The Beatles were invited multiple times to Hamburg, Germany. On the first trip, they played 106 nights. On their second trip,
Individuals whether they live in the countryside, city, or a confined place, behave according to the immediate surrounding environments. People experience various choices and problems. In most case, people derive acute sensitivity toward the environment, alerting the kinds of cues perceive the surrounding environments. While People in peaceful societies adapt moral standards, those from war situations fail to determine the nature of their responses. The reading by Malcolm Gladwell and Tim O’Brien forms two tests that focus on the topic of how individuals react to chaotic environment. Gladwell uses his essay “The Power of Context” to explain that behaviors are a functional aspect of social context. Gladwell highlights the contexts experienced
Tooby, J., Cosmides, L., & Barkow, J. (1992). The Adapted Mind: evolutionary psychology and the
According to Roy, man is a unified bio physiological system in constant interaction with the changing environment, an interaction that requires him to make continual adaptation. When the demands of the environmental Stimuli are too great or person is adaptive mechanism is too low, then the person’s behavioural responses are ineffective or copying.
In order for a list to become a coherent narrative, each item, person, time or place on the list must connect to the item before and after in some way. The interactions can be in many different ways, such as a phone book is in alphabetical order, however without a meaning behind the list, there is no text or context to the narrative. Without a context a text will always be just a list and not a narrative. However by giving more details about the list and giving the readers cues to connect the items or events can change a text list into a narrative.