Nature and Nurture

In his bestselling book, The Shallows, author Nicholas Carr draws from personal experience as a user of the Internet to assert that media aren’t just channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. That is, our brains change in response to what we expose it to.

Steven Pinker, a Harvard psychologist, disagrees. As he puts it, the brain is not “a blob of clay pounded into shape by experience.” In fact, he insists that the brain’s wiring, “may change a bit when we learn a new fact or skill, but its basic cognitive architecture remains the same.” 

So we can let go of blaming our parents for the way we think. We each were born with the genetic hardware to be unique individuals. Our genetic abilities allow us to create our behavioral expression, which in turn affects the way those around us treat us.

Yes, part of the brain can change, and that means that we can change our focus and attitudes. It is not easy… neuroplasticity is impossible without attention and mental effort.” 

One of the longest studies by UC Davis researcher Emily Werner, followed children from birth on the island of Kauai for more than 60 years. One third of a group of 700 children who were brought up in environments that were deemed “dysfunctional” showed positive affect by age one, despite their situations. They created their own positive microenvironments and grew into productive, happy adults. These children created loving attention from others simply by being happy. They were held more and attracted more positive responses from caregivers. This is genetics clearly at work. 

Mothers of newborns see the differences in their babies immediately. From birth, each individual thinks in a unique way. Skills are learned and mastered to become smart in your own micro-environment, but your approach, your brain “architecture”, does not change. 

Neurogenesis, the formation of new brain connections, occurs as we use our inborn brain hardware to elevate the level of our genetic gifts to mastery – without effort, but with passion. This is the foundation of The BrainStyles System.

Redefining “Smart” 

In her work with executives and returning military personnel, Center for BrainHealth neuroscientist, Sandra B. Chapman, Ph.D., developed a process to measure brain activity that did not focus on memory as the key measure of intelligence, and saw a slowing of cognitive decline. She found that:

• The ability to block irrelevant data, synthesize information, and remember key ideas are far more critical than remembering names, dates, doing crossword puzzles, or Sudoku.
• Stepping away from an issue helps you tap into your ‘Default Mode Network’ that uses the deepest part of the brain while you sleep.
• Multi-tasking actually breaks down the function of the hippocampus, where memories live, and releases toxins. 
• Setting priorities for the day is critical to brain health. Prioritize the two most important things to do per day. 
• Socializing, eating well, sleeping, and aerobic exercise all support brain health.

If you’re looking to improve the way your brain works, be aware of your motivation. Trying to become good in areas that you are not naturally hardwired to perform takes a lot of stressful work. BrainStyles demonstrates that operating within your natural strengths creates higher performance and better results. 

This is the key to high performance teams.