EDUC10057 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Neuroplasticity
13 Jun 2018
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Lecture 4: Character strengths
A beneficial quality or attribute in a person or thing = strength
What is right for you? Who are you at your best?
Improving performance: focus on refining strengths (positive self monitoring, focus on what you did well, empirical research:
performed better in 8 week bowling study, or correcting mistakes (negative self monitoring)?
Strengths and neuroplasticity: use strong synaptic connections easier to access and use; unused are weakened and
→
pruned
Is 10,000 hours the threshold for expertise?
Strengths and deliberate practice (engagement in structured activities specifically to improve performance): talent not
necessary?
Deliberate practice necessary but other factors matter
What explains variance in performance that deliberate practice doesn’t? Age, general intelligence, working memory
capacity
Only making part use of our possible mental resources?
Identifying strengths:
●Define good character identified core virtues across traditions assembled character strengths
→
→
●Strengths criteria: fulfilling, morally valued, measurable, not diminish others, not redundant, ubiquitous etc.
Strengths: life satisfaction: love, hope, curiosity, zest, gratitude, perseverance
Principles to foster strengths:
●value strengths
●assume responsibility for developing them
●place strengths in the context of personal mission
●practice
●teach others what you are learning
