Task 4d: Literature Reviews

Task 4d

Literature Reviews

“What is behaviour?”

I have been reading 3 different books, that all look at behaviour in different ways, I will be making reference to the points Iv noted so far that relate/help me in my practice.

“Nuture Shock”, Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman, 2009

I found Nuture Shock at my library in Hackney. The content on Health, Phycology and Behaviour was surprisingly little to nothing, but this book caught my attention from the title “Why everything we think about raising our children is wrong?” The book talks through different studies on parenting techniques to see what outcome it has on a child’s behaviour at school. The first section I found interesting was on Praise,

“Excessive praise also distorts a child’s motivation; they begin doing things to merely hear the praise, losing sight of intrinsic enjoyment.”          (Chapter 1, p.20)

Reflecting back on my childhood my parents would praise me and my younger brother a lot, especially my mum. I think it’s a natural trait of loving parents to help build your children’s confidence, the praise I got from my parents reassured me I was doing well but never made me push myself that much. An interesting section talks about the affects of Carol Dweck’s research and being too general when praising children,

“ After soccer games, I praised him for looking to pass, rather than just saying “You played great”… Just as the research promised, this focused praise helped him see strategies he could apply the next day.”                                (Chapter 1, p.25)

I wonder if this method of praising the process would work when applied to adult learning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ&t=31s

“Physiology of Behaviour” – Tenth Edition, Neil R Carson, 2010

Looking from a more scientific direction into behaviour, I found this book at Middlesex University Library before last week’s campus session. The chapter on Nature of Learning was what I focused on just to give me an insight how the brain processes information,

“Learning refers to the process by which experiences change our nervous system and hence our behaviour”                              (Carson, Neal, R. Nature of Learning, Chapter 13, p.440)

It goes on to explain 3 different types of learning and the order the forms go through in your brain.

The chapter also covers “Classical conditioning” and “Operant conditioning”, which is apparent in my own and my colleague’s behaviour this year. Examples of this are when my director has given an instruction that is not in everyone’s favour, my colleagues and I will sometimes apply operant conditioning in taking our own actions, this may not always be the “correct” way to behave. Overtime a stimulus/instruction will reoccur at my workplace and as a cast we will apply classical condition where we will know what actions are asked of us without being told. I think as dancers we tie classical conditioning with choreography, if we go into a ballet class we know what exercises are coming throughout the class.

“Creative Confidence” Tom & David Kelley 2014

Creative Confidence is a book I bought a while back when looking for new reading material. The front reads, “Unleashing the creative potential within us all”. The book is 8 chapters portraying ways to identify, and release creative confidence in your practice. I haven’t read the entire book but throughout there are creative challenges to try out alone or in groups. Challenge 4 is “Learning from observing human behaviour” and focuses on empathy. The challenge can take from 30-90 minuets and can be done alone or in groups up to 8 people.

The task requires you to split a board/sheet of paper into 4 quadrants, and label each quadrant with Say, Do, Think and Feel. Then by using post it notes to write down observations of the behaviour from a situation, splitting positive and negative thoughts with different colour post it’s in each section.

At the end of the time/room on the paper take a step back and think bout what’s been shared, What is new, surprising? Are there contradictions? Did an unexpected pattern appear?                                              (Creative Challenge 4, p.222)

This is an exercise similar to Task 2d, reflecting on a situation but focusing on the behaviour of others. An interesting task I will use in the future.