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
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.
