What does talent mean? 5 misconceptions you have about the brain

In addition to those elusive, special talents that make people unique, the word "talent" can also mean something more certain.

If a person is in a stagnant period of work or study, he will naturally have doubts about himself: Am I born like this?

In fact, for him, the faster way to find this answer is to understand the characteristics of the brain itself, rather than how the structure of his own brain is different from others. Because the characteristics of the brain itself are also part of the "gift," so to speak, a larger part.

Most of human errors stem from misunderstandings of the brain. This misunderstanding comes from inertial thinking, cultural traditions, and the illusion of shortcuts. But your “gift” will tell you what’s really going on.

Myth 1: Learning a language requires talent

If learning a language requires talent, then it is true only in one situation: in childhood. When we were young, we did rely on talent to learn languages. A child from Henan, China, has all the innate abilities to learn English, French, and Japanese. When you are five years old, you can easily master the uvular sounds of French and the syllables of Russian and Italian. Douyin only needs to be sent to the corresponding language environment to grow.

It is worth noting that this talent is equal to everyone. Anyone who can speak can speak their native language fluently. And this degradation of talent is also equal for everyone: once we grow up, the innate ability to learn language will disappear, because our talent of "brain cell connections for processing sounds" also slowly disappears after childhood. .

These three children all have the innate ability to learn various languages

"When we were children, we were all little language geniuses," said internal medicine specialist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Physician and psychiatrist Anders Hansen wrote in the book "Brain Gym": "However, from a neurological perspective, we close the door to language throughout our lives."

It can be said that when it comes to language learning, you and the person who learns it best have the same talent.

At this time, you may ask: Then why do some people learn English faster than me, and they seem to be able to speak casually without learning it? What is this if not talent?

I don’t want to repeat the cliché about hard study, because here are 3 reasons that you may not always think about, but they play an amazing role:

1. The urge to show off

Have you ever noticed that when you were a student, the person who learned English the best in the class usually had this kind of person: he was already good at learning, and the teacher often praised him; he got excited when he encountered something in English, and he was particularly annoying I always like to show off in front of others and use English songs and English movies to show my difference...

The movie "Chinese Partner"

After the 1970s and 1980s, The meaning once given to "being able to speak English" included not only a change in identity, but also good taste. In the student days of this generation, going abroad and communicating with foreigners were still new things. Therefore, "being able to speak English" was labeled as "high-end" and "fashionable".

It is at the top of the chain of disciplinary contempt. Therefore, people who can say a few words usually receive exaggerated encouragement, and once this encouragement is remembered in their hearts, it directly stimulates their self-esteem and vanity. At this time, it is impossible for him not to be impulsive. The only way he can maintain his current status is to continue learning desperately and show off when he has the opportunity. In this process, he feels very happy, as if he doesn't have to work hard at all, but he is actually practicing frequently. Therefore, even if he has no talent like you, his learning state is like taking opium, and his absorption speed is very fast. This is very different from a person who wants to doze off when he sees English.

Regarding this, in the "Misunderstanding 2" section, there will be more explanations based on the characteristics of the brain.

2. Stimulation of imitation effect

When English was at the top of the contempt chain of subjects, most people judged whether English learning was good or bad, usually based on standard pronunciation. Not his actual mastery of the subject. There are two reasons here. First, the former is easy to judge, but the latter is too complicated; second, strong imitation ability can make people have close to standard pronunciation, and "pronunciation like foreigners" can easily make people think Excessive association, just like in the early days of reform and opening up, a person who returned from abroad was often regarded as a boss and rich man who was at the forefront of the world.

In the 1982 movie "The Wrangler", the father (right) who returned from abroad is an overseas Chinese entrepreneur in the United States, and his son (left) works as a wrangler at the Chilechuan Ranch in the northwest. The father eats any meal. Being able to spend what my son thinks is a "sky-high price".

Therefore, the former is also more likely to receive praise. However, once he receives praise, he enters the impulsive mode mentioned in point 1. Likewise, he may progress faster than someone who has not received praise but whose actual ability is better than him. And he is often mistakenly regarded as "more gifted with languages".

3. The role of repetition

In fact, nothing can help people learn a language better than "continuous repetition". To put it simply, if you memorize a word 100 times, you will definitely remember it. That's the best trick. The people mentioned in the above two points have all practiced this trick thousands of times invisibly, just because they are enjoying it, so they don't feel it. People who stare at memorizing words one by one will feel like they are spelling them out every minute.

Of course, the word "repetition" includes a variety of repetition methods. For example, some people think that using methods that trigger emotions and humor is the most effective way to learn a language, but in any case it is There is no escaping the principle of repetition. It has nothing to do with the premature degradation of language talent and everything to do with the brain's "neuroplasticity."

Anders Hansen gave an example of a woman named Michelle Mack who was born without a left brain (90% of the left brain was missing). What is the left brain used for? The left brain is responsible for analysis and rationality, and is where math and language are learned. In other words, Michelle was born unable to speak normally, and her brain was not born with a part that manages language.

Today, Michelle Mack, who was born in 1973, works a part-time job in Virginia and lives a life like any other person in many ways. She can speak and read at the same level as ordinary people, but she learns a little slower.

Her limitations include limited mobility in her right arm and leg, as well as some difficulty with abstract thinking.

It's a prime example of "neuroplasticity," in which your brain, like hers, "has an extraordinary ability to reshape itself, and its structure and operating patterns can change," Anders said. · Hansen said. Then, choose a reinvention method that you think will be most sustainable, as long as you don't complain about your lack of talent.

In the classic movie "Rain Man", Raymond (left) played by Dustin Hoffman is based on the American Kim Peake. He was born with a damaged brain, but acquired amazing abilities through acquired practice. Like Michelle, who lost the left side of his brain, he benefited from the brain's neuroplasticity.

Misunderstanding 2: A proud soldier will be defeated

You probably haven’t forgotten the “impulse to show off” just mentioned, so let’s continue.

Our culture has gone to great lengths throughout history to emphasize the need for humility. Even if a person does nothing wrong, as long as he is not humble enough, he will easily be criticized by others. What you don’t realize is that you thrive on this lack of humility.

Let us first take a look at the circumstances under which a person can overcome all difficulties and persevere until the ultimate goal is achieved. Yes, just do those addictive things-smoking, playing mahjong, playing video games, gambling, and what not. Just ask yourself what habits you can't quit. The common feature of these things is that they allow people to enjoy every "small success". The joy and rewards brought by this kind of success can make us boast in our hearts every time and tell ourselves next time It will definitely get better, and then continue to devote yourself to it regardless of your own safety.

To put it bluntly, they are not modest enough.

Movie "The Wolf of Wall Street"

So why can't we become addicted to learning and work? When we get a math test paper with a score of 20, will we tell ourselves with joy that if we get a score of 80 next time, we will definitely win? Stop being scary. But if you have this outrageous mentality and are addicted to studying math textbooks, you do have a good chance of winning. What prevents us from becoming addicted is the frustration, doubt, and fright in the middle. You may even think that this score represents a complete denial of a person; what prevents us from achieving our goals is that we cannot see the emergence of "small successes."

"Small success" is the sweetness that those who learn English taste as mentioned in "The Impulse to Show Off". Every time he takes a step forward, he can expect how many rewards he will receive. The rewards that people who learn English can receive are exaggerated praise from others and additional imagination of their own taste and status; the rewards that those who gamble can receive are unexpected. Money, smokers can feel an indescribable excitement and pleasure. If such "small success" appears clearly in front of people for a long time, people will continue to the next action without hesitation - continue to smoke, continue to gamble, continue to study.

Movie "Domestic Lingling Paint"

"Small success" is what New York Times business investigative reporter Charles Duhigg described in his best-selling book "The Power of Habit: We Why do you live and work like this? 》 words mentioned in.

He explains the above principle, writing: "Small success can bring about transformative change because it can turn small advantages into a pattern that makes people believe that bigger victories are around the corner."

If you believe in the coming of greater victory, all the factors that prevent people from persevering will no longer be stumbling blocks, and those "proud soldiers" who are always appreciating the taste of success are focused on achieving their goals.

Misunderstanding 3: You can use puzzle games to puzzle your brain

Game rules: Identify as quickly as possible whether the current pattern is the same as the previous pattern.

People are always looking for shortcuts. For example, they believe that their life will change after reading a book. For example, they naturally believe that puzzle games can improve intelligence.

If you continue to play a puzzle game, you will find that you can play better and better, and your reaction and coordination in all aspects will also become higher and higher. Doesn’t this mean that you become Smarter? Yes, you could say that you get smarter while playing this game. But you won't make any progress in other areas.

With the support of Stanford University and the Max Planck Institute, 70 of the world's most outstanding neuroscientists and psychologists conducted research on these puzzle games and cognitive training and concluded that The conclusions firmly deny their efficacy. "Cognitive training methods provided by games and apps will not make you smarter, more focused, or more creative, nor will they improve your memory." Anderson Hansen said, citing this scientific conclusion. . If you are a crossword puzzle master, then the only thing that makes you stronger is crossword puzzles.

So how can we become smart? Anderson Hansen's approach is to exercise. Concentration, memory, and creativity can all be improved through regular physical exercise. Simply put, when the brain gets more blood, it can work more efficiently, process information faster, and allocate brain resources more rationally, which is what a clear-minded person needs.

Myth 4: "I will never have the same bad habits again"

You can break a bad habit, but it will always be there in your brain.

"The Power of Habit" records the detailed research conducted by American neuroscientist and psychologist Dr. Larry Squire on a meningitis patient named Eugene. Eugene's brain was severely damaged. To put it simply, he had amnesia. He could not remember past events. He would forget what others said to him after a few seconds.

But he remembered one thing: the way home.

He remembered the walk home out of habit. The formation of a habit requires three conditions: cue - habitual behavior - reward. Let's demonstrate it based on his example: 1) There are constant things such as the tree on the corner and the mailbox on the way to his house, which are hints; 2) This hint tells him that home is over there, so it triggers His usual behavior is to go home; 3) This usual behavior successfully brings him home, which is a reward.

Smoking addiction is also like this: 1) Emotions such as excitement, emptiness, and worry, or thinking or seeing cigarettes (hint); 2) Thinking of the indescribable stimulation brought by cigarettes, so smoking (habitual) behavior); 3) obtain pleasure (reward).

After receiving a reward, the intensity of the habit deepens, and he will repeat the habit more firmly next time, just like a person who gets praise will do something with more confidence. And when this habit is repeated thousands of times, completing this set of actions not only does not require the use of the brain, but is also deeply embedded in the brain structure. Therefore, even if he got meningitis and his memory lasted only a few seconds, Eugene's actions would still be there.

Smoking and browsing on mobile phones are good examples - I still remember what I said before, why people who learn English can learn the pleasure of smoking opium and be excited and proud of every "little success" they have. Why can soldiers keep making progress? The same principle applies.

The formation of habits will produce a neural pattern in the brain that responds strongly to desire and disappointment. People who can change bad habits are very amazing and very smart. The way to change is to create new rewards with a new replacement habit. However, due to its strong reaction, even if this habit no longer appears in your behavior, it has already sneaked into the brain structure and just retreated to the background to rest. Therefore, do not think that if you change a bad habit, it will disappear forever. , what you have to do is never let it come back.

Myth 5: We only use 10 of our brains

You may have heard this saying: We only use 10 of our brains.

To confirm this statement, it also comes with a vivid explanation: The reason why our abilities are limited is because the brain has only been developed so much. If we can develop the other 90, we may be able to Learn all the languages ??in the world, and everyone is a super brain. The reason why Einstein achieved so much was because he was able to use more than 10 brains.

This statement is absolutely wrong.

As for how it was first spread, it is no longer known, but what is certain is that it is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The 2014 science fiction film "Superbody" by the famous director Luc Besson is based on this theory. In the film, Norman, a neurology professor played by Morgan Freeman, has this line: "It is estimated that most Human beings only use 10% of their brains. Imagine what it would be like if the utilization of the brain reached 100%.” Based on this imagination, he used drugs to stimulate the potential of a woman named Lucy, which led to additional changes in her brain. 90 neurons awakened one after another and became Superwoman.

Lucy, played by Scarlett Johansson, is such a superwoman. Does she look beautiful... No, is she smart?

In fact? There is no difference between you and this superwoman, both using your 100th brain.

"Scientific American" in 2008 gave an example: One morning, you want to pour yourself a cup of coffee. You go to the coffee pot, reach for the pot, and then pour the brewed coffee into the pot. In the cup, leave a little space in the cup to put the cream. During this whole set of actions, almost the entire brain will participate in neuron activity.

So, what is it like when the brain only uses 10? For example, when you were taking a break, when you read this sentence of this article, or when you listened to a silly joke, you may really only use 10. But in the next second, if you suddenly remember that there is a task to be handed in, an appointment that you missed, or when you recall which program you made up for at the New Year’s Eve party at Station B, it will be more than 10. "Scientific American" quoted John Henry of the Mayo Medical Center in Minnesota, USA, as saying: "Evidence has shown that in one day, you will use 100% of your brain."

Anderson· Hansen also said: "Today we know that electrical conduction and consumption of glucose and oxygen (the brain's main fuel) are ongoing in the brain. This means that the brain is always awake and no healthy area is idle all the time. ”

At this time, you may be thinking: That’s it. Originally, I only developed 10. I thought I was quite promising, but now my brain has actually developed 100. I think this is how it will be in my life. .

However, the brain has been utilized 100 times, which just proves that it still has unlimited potential.

Remember the “neuroplasticity” we talked about before? Michelle Mack, who lost the left side of his brain, turned from a person who was born unable to speak or walk to a person who has a job and lives an ordinary life precisely because he tapped into the potential of his brain. If you want to learn a skill, you can gradually master it through continuous practice. A person uses 100% of his brain when he is 10 years old and when he is 30 years old, but the wisdom you have at 10 years old and at 30 years old is obviously different.

The movie "The Pianist"

However, not only the movie "Superbody", the 2011 Bradley Cooper starring movie "Never Ending", 1991 This fallacious theory has been used in the 2006 film "The Twilight Zone" starring Meryl Streep, the 1986 "Navigator", and the popular NBC TV series "Heroes".

Maybe they just express regret for the limited capabilities of human beings. But what's even more regrettable is that rumors always make human beings' abilities more limited. Actually, we could be smarter, if only we didn't use that other 90 to make up the weight.

Reference materials:

1. [Sweden] Anders Hansen "Brain Gym"

2. [US] Charles Duhigg " The Power of Habit"

3, "Do People Only Use 10 Percent of Their Brains?" published by Robynne Boyd in Scientific American on February 7, 2008.

4. "All You Need To Know About the 10 Percent Brain Myth, in 60 Seconds" published by Christian Jarrett in Wired on July 24, 2014.