Incremental Learning
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has discussed the concept of incremental learning, emphasizing the importance of smaller, more focused learning sessions for adults. He mentions that adults can't expect to make massive shifts in their representations of the outside world all at once, unlike during youth. Instead, incremental learning through small, focused bouts of learning is essential for adults to engage in significant neuroplasticity 1.
The Newton lab experiments are referenced, which showed that young individuals could make massive shifts in mapping the visual world, while adults learned much slower, with many never fully accomplishing the map shift. The importance of small increments of change, which the adult nervous system can tolerate, was highlighted, allowing one to stack up errors and achieve considerable plasticity 1.
Moreover, points out that the nervous system needs to know what the error is during these learning processes. When learning motor skills such as shooting free throws, for instance, the nervous system will self-adjust based on the deviations from the desired outcome. To not confuse the nervous system, short learning bouts are crucial, with 7 to 30 minutes being an optimal timeframe for fully focused and attended learning as it will stimulate neuroplasticity 2.
Regarding neurochemical mechanisms that enable change of behavior and support plasticity, incremental learning coupled with high contingency situations where there's a need to change, such as needing to eat or earn an income, can result in significant leaps in plasticity. This points to neurochemical systems that, when tapped into, can help maximize incremental learning and mimic high-contingency states 3.
Additionally, also compares the deliberate introduction of thoughts to physical actions. He mentions the importance of rewarding incremental steps and introducing positive thoughts to rewire negative thinking patterns and perceptions, highlighting how individuals can cultivate a more positive mindset by taking small, progressive actions and recognizing the incremental progress 4.
In summary, the principles of incremental learning described by suggest that adults should approach learning with small, incremental changes and focused practice sessions, by clearly identifying errors and leveraging neurochemical systems, as well as by rewarding incremental progress to foster motivation and positive change.
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