|
DVD Title:
"Chaos Theory and the Teen Brain"
Director/Editor:
Alex Gierus
Author/Presenter:
Krystyna Laycraft
Price:
$25.99 |
Chaos Theory and the Teen Brain
A presentation by Krystyna Laycraft, in conjunction with the Center for Chaotic Studies
The teen brain shapes behavior but behavior seems to shape the brain.
The Chaos Theory studies open, complex, nonlinear and dynamic systems, those that constantly interact with and adjust to their environment. They are changing, growing, learning, and evolving. They exhibit an extreme sensitivity to their initial conditions. The very slight difference in their starting points makes a very large difference in their fates.
In some conditions, dynamic systems behave in a regular, cyclical way until something sets them off – a critical point is passed, and suddenly they go chaotic. This critical point where system changes characteristic of the motion is called the a bifurcation point. The complex structures of chaotic motion are the attractors.
Examples of such systems are everywhere around us and inside of us. They are our bodies, our brains, our consciousness, our lives, our schools, our families, nature, weather, etc.
Human brain is the most complex system in the natural world. It is composed of about one hundred billion neurons interconnected through synapses. The essence of who we are reflects patterns of interconnectivity between neurons in our brain. Our genetic inherence and life experiences shape the synaptic organization of the brain.
New discoveries of neuroscience confirmed that the teen brain undergoes dramatic transition and can be described by the chaotic attractor. It was found that the frontal lobe of the brain undergoes far more changes during the teen years than at any other stage of life, and it is the last part of the brain to develop.
Teenagers often rely on emotional parts of the brain, rather than the frontal lobe. This is why they are often moody and overwhelmed with emotions. The adolescent brain is still a work in progress. It is a time of enormous opportunity and of enormous risk. The teenage years are a kind of critical time to optimize the brain. The activities of the teenagers sculpture neuronal connections in their brain.
Teenagers must be driven to explore, seek novelty, and take risks. This is the important period of life for acquiring skills necessary to succeed as an adult.
|
