Inquiring Minds 8 Alison Gopnik - We All Start Out as Scientists, But Some of Us Forget
Nov 7, 2013
Psychologist Alison Gopnik discusses how babies are smarter than we think, and why we lose cognitive flexibility as we grow. The podcast also covers a study on cells having different DNA, and the issue of Ph.D. graduates struggling to find jobs. Explore the brilliance of babies, the complexity of DNA, and the challenges faced by highly educated individuals in the job market.
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Babies' Cognitive Abilities
- Babies are not irrational or egocentric as previously thought.
- New science reveals that babies possess greater learning abilities than assumed, even surpassing adults in certain aspects.
Baby Brain Development
- Baby brains form significantly more neural connections (synapses) compared to adult brains.
- As we age, frequently used connections strengthen while others get pruned, leading to reduced flexibility in learning.
Babies as Experimenters
- Babies explore objects through various actions like knocking, sniffing, and mouthing.
- These actions resemble scientific experimentation, demonstrating curiosity and exploration, similar to scientists.