Watching And Learning – Mirror Neurons
Scientists have been discovering the process by which we learn as we observe. By monitoring the firing of neurons as an animal watches an activity, they find that the neurons fire in the same pattern as they do when the animal performs the same activity.
That we learn by watching doesn’t seem so surprising. But the mechanism itself is intriguing.
I’m reading Norman Doidge’s book — The Brain That Changes Itself — in which he describes the parallels between doing and thinking of doing. Subjects imagining that they are stressing a muscle for a set period each day actually increase muscle strength. Likewise mental practice of a piece of music results in improved proficiency at playing the music.
As Doidge points out, the brain responds to our being in the physical world, but can also operate and send messages without direct stimulation from from the physical world.
With this in mind, visualization and imagination become powerful tools in learning and practicing skills and proficiencies.
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