# 15.嬰兒的大腦怎樣不起作用 [TOC=3,5] ## 15 How baby brain does not work ## 嬰兒的大腦怎樣不起作用 ### 15.1 Accelerating development ### 加速發展 We shape the future of this planet by shaping baby brains. 我們通過塑造嬰兒的大腦來塑造這個星球的未來。 These days, we begin the educational effort even before the pregnancy. Active moms exercise while pregnant, and play Mozart to babies in the womb. Active dads begin an exercise and training regimen from the cradle. We make babies speak sentences at 6 months. Master phones and tablets before they can speak. Make them read at 2 years old. Play piano at 3. Speak languages at 5. Enroll at the university at 8, and hope for an early PhD in their teens as well. The only problem with that eager approach is that it may all be wrong. 如今，我們甚至在懷孕前就開始了教育工作。活躍的媽媽在懷孕期間運動，并給在子宮內的嬰兒放莫扎特。積極的父親從搖籃里就開始鍛煉和訓練。我們讓寶寶在 6 個月時說句子。在說話前掌握手機和平板電腦。讓他們在 2 歲時閱讀。3 歲時彈鋼琴。5 歲時講語言。8 歲時就讀大學，并希望在青少年時期獲得早期博士學位。這種熱切方法的唯一問題是它可能都是錯的。 ### 15.2 Perfect forgetting machines ### 完美的遺忘機器 You will often hear from your pediatrician that a child's brain is a perfect learning machine, or that in the first 3 years of life we learn more than in the entire adulthood. Those well-intentioned statements are misleading and may lead to wrong strategies. 您經常會從您的兒科醫生那里聽到，孩子的大腦是一個完美的學習機器，或者在生命的前 3 年，我們比整個成年期學到的更多。那些善意的陳述具有誤導性，可能導致錯誤的策略。 Considering our adult standards, we should rather see babies as [perfect forgetting machines](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Childhood_amnesia). Long term-memory capacity develops [very slowly](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Linear_increase_in_memory_retention). To be precise, there is nothing inherently immature about baby memory except that the brain changes so fast. Baby [forgetting](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting_curve) occurs because baby brains are most accurately described as incredible growing machines. These are complex organs that embark on a long trajectory that leads to becoming incredible learning machines years later. Early in the process, in terms of declarative memories, toddlers are far better at [forgetting](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting_curve). We hear the myth of child learning marvel perpetuated by every single loving mother with no exceptions: "_My kid just keeps surprising me. She learns those things I never thought she knows or understands. Every day something new. This little brain is just so stunning, so marvellous. She is a smartie cutie_". 考慮到我們的成人標準，我們應該把嬰兒視為[完美的遺忘機器](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Childhood_amnesia)。長期記憶容量發展[很慢](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Linear_increase_in_memory_retention)。確切地說，除了大腦變化如此之快之外，嬰兒記憶本身并不成熟。寶寶[遺忘](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting_curve)因為嬰兒的大腦被最準確地描述為令人難以置信的成長機器。這些是復雜的器官，走上了一條長長的軌道，導致多年后成為令人難以置信的學習機器。在這個過程的早期，就陳述性記憶而言，蹣跚學步的孩子更善于[遺忘](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Forgetting_curve)。我們聽到兒童學習奇跡的錯誤觀念，每一位慈愛的母親都沒有例外地說：「_我的孩子一直讓我驚訝。她學到了我從未想過她知道或理解的東西。每天都有新的東西。這個小腦子真是太棒了，太棒了。她是一個聰明的小可愛_」。 Then there are adults who add to the mythology saying "_I am too old to learn languages. When I look how fast those kids learn, I just lose all my steam. It will never happen for me_". 然后有成年人補充錯誤觀念，說「_我太老了，不能學習語言。當我看到這些孩子學得多快時，我就失去了所有的熱情。這對我來說永遠不會發生。_」 The truth is that if you put a kid and an adult in a learning competition, it is the adult brain that wins most of the time. It is better at processing information, at short-term memory, at mnemonics, and, most of all, it is unbeatable in long-term memory. I investigate those processes for a living, so [I have a lot of data to look at](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Childhood_amnesia). 事實是，如果你把一個孩子和一個成年人放在一個學習競賽中，大部分情況下成人大腦會贏。它更擅長處理信息，短期記憶，助記符，而且最重要的是，它在長期記憶中是無與倫比的。我調查這些過程是為了生活，所以[我有很多數據要看](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Childhood_amnesia)。 Why do kids keep winning the learning battle in the long run? They just overwhelm the adults with the time they invest in learning. When learning her native language, the kid soaks in new information from dawn to dusk. It invests 10-14 hours of its waking day in this learning quest. The lazy adult, in the meantime, has a 20 min. peek at his foreign language textbook, listens to a short audiotape, and perhaps puts 4-5 new words in [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo). Adult advantages do not count much because the kid's investment in learning is 10-50 times greater! 從長遠來看，為什么孩子們會繼續贏得學習之戰呢？他們只是在投入學習的時間上壓倒成年人。在學習母語時，孩子會從黎明到黃昏浸泡新信息。它在這個學習任務中投入了 10 - 14 個小時的清醒日。在此期間，懶惰的成年人有 20 分鐘。偷看他的外語教科書，聽一個短的錄音帶，或許可以放 4 - 5 個新單詞到 [SuperMemo](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo)。成人優勢并不重要，因為孩子在學習上的投入要高出 10 - 50 倍！ Some researchers claim that kids learn more in the first 3-5 years of life than they ever will. This depends on how we measure learning. In terms of neural revolutions within, this is true. In terms of declarative knowledge, this is wildly untrue. The speed of acquiring vocabulary may indeed be staggering between ages 3 and 6. It is powered by all-day-long learning. The slow deceleration at later ages does not come from the loss of learning capacity. It comes from the saturation of needs typical of the asymptotic learning curve. In the meantime, learning capacity keeps increasing. With the employment of tools like [incremental learning](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_learning) that capacity may keep increasing even at my age \(i.e. above fifty\). 一些研究人員聲稱，孩子們在生命的前 3 - 5 年里學到的東西比以往任何時候都多。這取決于我們如何衡量學習。就內在的神經革命而言，這是事實。就陳述性知識而言，這是非常不真實的。獲得詞匯的速度在 3 到 6 歲之間確實可能是驚人的。它由全天學習提供動力。后期的緩慢減速并非來自學習能力的喪失。它來自漸近學習曲線典型的需求飽和。與此同時，學習能力不斷提高。隨著工具的使用[漸進學習](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Incremental_learning)即使在我這個年齡（即超過五十歲），這種能力也可能不斷增加。 ### 15.3 Infantile amnesia ### 嬰兒失憶癥 There is a concept called "_infantile amnesia_". We generally do not remember things that happened to us before the age of 3 or so. If you claim recall from the age of 2, you are almost certainly wrong. It would take a different article to explain how we know that. Some traumatic or emotional memories may be recalled by coming back to mind very often, some memories might be re-told by parents, or remembered by watching things on home video, etc. This is why chances are you will disagree using yourself as an example. Scientists are not entirely sure why we suffer from infantile amnesia. Some believe that kids "misplace" information in their memory. In other words, kids learn a lot, information stays with them for years to come, but they cannot retrieve it later on. 有一個名為「_嬰兒失憶癥_」的概念 。我們通常不記得在 3 歲左右之前發生在我們身上的事情。如果您提出從 2 歲開始的回憶，那幾乎肯定是錯的。需要一篇不同的文章來解釋我們如何知道這一點。一些創傷或情感記憶可能會經常回憶起來，一些記憶可能會被父母重新講述，或者通過觀看家庭視頻中的事物等而被記住。這就是為什么你有可能不同意使用自己作為一個例子。科學家們并不完全確定為什么我們患有嬰兒失憶癥。有些人認為孩子們在他們的記憶中「錯放」了信息。換句話說，孩子們學到了很多東西，信息會在未來幾年與他們保持一致，但他們以后無法檢索。 I can tell you **exactly** what happens to those memories. They are gone! Usually, they are gone in less than a month. This proves that kids are **perfect forgetting machines**. It is not that they "misplace" information. The information evaporates almost as fast as it comes in. I know that for sure because I have lots of data to prove it. The kid can learn and forget the same thing dozens or hundreds of times. It is literally one ear in, and out another. 我可以告訴你這些記憶**究竟**會發生什么。他們走了！通常情況下，它們會在不到一個月的時間內消失。這證明了孩子們是**完美的遺忘機器**。并不是他們「錯放」信息。信息消失得幾乎和它進入的速度一樣快。我知道這是肯定的，因為我有很多數據可以證明這一點。孩子可以學習并忘記相同的事情數十次或數百次。它實際上是一個耳朵進，另一個耳朵出。 For more see: [Childhood amnesia](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Childhood_amnesia) 欲了解更多信息： [童年失憶癥](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Childhood_amnesia) ### 15.4 Brain rewiring ### 大腦重新布線 How can then kids master a language? Or learn to walk? Or ride a bike? How can they bring up durable skills in a brain that keeps forgetting at a staggering speed? 孩子怎么能掌握一門語言？學會走路？騎自行車？他們怎么能在一個以驚人的速度不斷遺忘的大腦中培養出持久的技能呢？ First, we need to separate procedural learning, like learning to walk, and declarative learning, like remembering names. It is the declarative learning that stays weak for years. However, once the long-term memory sets in, there is no other animal that can compete with the human brain. 首先，我們需要將程序性學習（如學習走路）和陳述性學習（如記憶名稱）分開。陳述性學習多年來一直保持弱勢。然而，一旦長期記憶形成，就沒有其他動物可以與人類大腦競爭。 The main difference between the young brain and the adult brain is that the kid brain keeps growing and evolving. It keeps changing its structure. It keeps chiselling new pathways. In addition to procedural learning, the main goal of those dynamic processes is the **optimization of controllability and pattern recognition**. This is quite different from declarative learning at adulthood. A child's brain builds new synaptic connections and those keep acquiring new memories. This process proceeds at a stunning rate. The faster the little brain grows the bigger the revolution down at the lowest synaptic and molecular level. In this storm of change, [individual memories stand little chance of surviving](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Infantile_amnesia_caused_by_neurogenesis). Forgetting is not only a molecular decay process like in the adult brain. Learning interference from new incoming information is far larger due to the volume of learning the young brain is exposed to. Forgetting is also a structural process. New connections are made and lost. High rate of recycling makes forming stable memories almost impossible. Instead of just forming granular memories, the kid is forging pathways and highways in the white matter of the brain. The kids may forget fast what an orange is, however, it may effectively chisel out networks and pathways needed to recognize the color of orange. It will re-learn or at least re-consolidate the word "orange" over and over again. Perhaps 10-50 times in the first 4-6 years of its life \(e.g. depending on how often she eats oranges\). The same happens with speech. Networks needed to recognize sounds or produce sounds will settle down early. They are badly needed in speech. Here indeed the kid will quickly prove superior to an adult. If the kid fails to learn to produce and recognize certain sounds early, he or she will be affected for life. If she does not get exposure to Korean early in childhood, she may never sound like a Korean. Here comes the adult frustration: why can my kid learn Korean "fast" while I just can't get it? This frustration is justified. 年輕的大腦和成年人大腦之間的主要區別在于，孩子的大腦不斷成長和發展。它不斷改變其結構。它一直在鑿開新的途徑。除了程序性學習之外，這些動態過程的主要目標是**優化可控性和模式識別**。這與成年期的陳述性學習完全不同。孩子的大腦會建立新的突觸聯系，并不斷獲得新的記憶。該過程以驚人的速度進行。小腦變得越快，在最低的突觸和分子水平下旋轉越大。在這場變革風暴中，[個人記憶幾乎沒有幸存的機會](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Infantile_amnesia_caused_by_neurogenesis)。忘記不僅是成人大腦中的分子衰變過程。由于年輕大腦的學習量很大，學習來自新傳入信息的干擾要大得多。忘記也是一個結構過程。新的連接已經建立并丟失。高回收率使得形成穩定的記憶幾乎是不可能的。這個孩子不僅僅是形成顆粒狀的記憶，而是在大腦的白質中鍛造通路和高速公路。孩子們可能會快速忘記橘子是什么，但是，它可以有效地鑿出識別橙色所需的網絡和路徑。它會一遍又一遍地重新學習或至少重新整合「橙色」這個詞。也許在其生命的前 4 - 6 年中有 10 - 50 次（例如，取決于她吃橘子的頻率）。說話也是如此。識別聲音或發出聲音所需的網絡將盡早安定下來。他們在說話中非常需要。確實，這個孩子很快就會證明自己優于成年人。如果孩子未能學會早期生成和識別某些聲音，他或她將終身受到影響。如果她在童年早期沒有接觸過韓國人，她可能永遠不會像韓國人一樣。成年人感到沮喪：為什么我的孩子可以「快速」學習韓語，而我卻無法得到它？這種沮喪是有道理的。 Young brains grow fast. They learn by changing their structure. By forging new pathways. This is why we may harbor the illusion that some memories stay with the kid for ever. For the sake of argument, I will claim these are not "memories", these are skills, characteristics, procedures, etc. **All the early investment in learning should shape the character, not specific memories**. In neural network terms, the change affects structures and controllability, not individual synapses. Simple declarative memories do not last in a fast growing brain. They need to be re-memorized over and over again. 年輕的大腦快速成長。他們通過改變結構來學習。通過鍛造新的途徑。這就是為什么我們可能會懷念一些記憶永遠留在孩子身上的錯覺。為了論證，我會聲稱這些不是「記憶」，這些是技能，特征，程序等。**所有早期的學習投入都應該塑造品格，而不是特定的記憶**。在神經網絡術語中，變化影響結構和可控性，而不影響單個突觸。簡單的陳述性記憶不會在快速增長的大腦中持續。他們需要被一遍又一遍地重新記憶。 ### 15.5 Precocity and stress ### 早熟和壓力 The bombshell conclusion coming from the above picture is that precocity may not necessarily be a welcome quality. Look at a little kitten, it will walk and play ages ahead of your baby, but it will be your baby who will join NASA one day. 從上圖中得出的重磅結論是，早熟可能不一定是受歡迎的品質。看看一只小貓，它會在你的寶寶前走路和玩耍年齡，但有一天你的寶寶會加入美國宇航局。 In short, we want to give the little brain maximum space and time for growth. All forms of natural training are welcome. All forms of "acceleration" must be taken with caution. 簡而言之，我們希望為小腦提供最大的增長空間和時間。歡迎所有形式的自然訓練。必須謹慎采取所有形式的「加速」。 [One of the prime chiselling factors affecting how the brain shapes up is stress](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learning_acceleration_via_stress). From the evolutionary point of view, this makes a lot of sense. All forms of traumatic experience in childhood should have an extra ability to leave a mark on the brain. If you toss out a toddler in cold dark woods to fend for itself, he or she will need to speed up that growth process to survive. Cortisol is a stress hormone that has a well documented effect on [neurogenesis](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stress_reduces_neurogenesis). Stress will result in structural changes in the brain. Baby rats deprived of maternal care show a remarkable increase in their ability to remember. Their long-term memories "improve" dramatically. [壓力是影響大腦形成的主要因素之一。](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learning_acceleration_via_stress)。從進化的角度來看，這很有道理。童年時期所有形式的創傷經歷都應該具有在大腦上留下痕跡的額外能力。如果你在寒冷的黑暗樹林里拋棄一個小孩來照顧自己，他或她將需要加快這個成長過程以求生存。皮質醇是一種應激激素，具有良好的記錄作用[神經發生](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stress_reduces_neurogenesis)。壓力會導致大腦結構發生變化。被剝奪了母親照顧的小鼠顯示出他們的記憶能力顯著提高。他們的長期記憶「大大改善」。 This might be why kindergartens are so good at accelerating development \(e.g. speech\). This is also why there might be an illusion of accelerating self-dependence. However, it might also be true that [daycare actually limits long-term development options](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Daycare_misery), esp. in brain development. There must be the optimum timing for the exposure to all individual stressors, and probably the best timing should always come after the main brain growth spurt window. 這可能就是為什么幼兒園如此擅長加速發展（例如說話）。這也是為什么可能存在加速自我依賴的錯覺。但是，[幼兒園實際上限制了長期發展選擇](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Daycare_misery)也可能是真的，尤其是在大腦發育。一定有一個暴露于所有個體壓力源的最佳時機，并且可能最佳時機始終存在于主要的大腦生長突增窗口之后。 The major lesson and warning for all parents is that we do not want to use stress as an accelerator in learning. We do not want to whip our kids to faster development. Unfortunately, this is happening all the time as I write these words. This is a universal mistake made by nearly all parents. Parents get "rewarded" by seeing their kids shape up early, so they try more of the same bad medicine. Some parents will yell at their kids for being slow. Others will marvel at an "incredible acceleration" caused by daycare, which should rather be labelled "the effect of maternal separation". It is maternal separation that "improves" baby rat memories. Fast development may mean shorter growth span. This is trading minor short-term gains for major long-term harm! 對所有家長的主要教訓和警告是，我們不希望將壓力作為學習的加速器。我們不想讓我們的孩子更快地發展。不幸的是，當我寫這些文字時，這種情況一直在發生。這是幾乎所有父母都犯的普遍錯誤。父母看到他們的孩子早早地長大就會得到「獎勵」，所以他們嘗試更多相同的壞藥方。有些父母會因為孩子的速度慢而對他們大喊大叫。其他人會驚訝于幼兒園引起的「令人難以置信的加速」，應該將其標記為「產婦分離的影響」。正是母親的分離「改善」幼寶的記憶。快速發展可能意味著更短的增長期。這是用微小的短期收益換取重大的長期損害！ ### 15.6Precocious genius ### 早熟的天才 We are marvelling at Mozart composing his first pieces at the age of 2. Why can't our kids do that? Perhaps some early classes in piano or violin can help? Wait! Wikipedia says Mozart started composing at 3? That's one year more. Perhaps that tablet app will make a difference? Perhaps we can double that piano time and she can still do it? Then we hear on ABC News that Mozart rather started composing at 4? The actual age at which Mozart produced his first simple compositions might actually be 5. That's still mighty impressive. His incredible start might have come from a combination of precocity and the impact of his father. A perfect storm of smarts and ideal upbringing. For all hopeful parents, the message should be clear: great parenting makes a world of difference. However, no parent should impose a timeline on achievement. If it does not come at 5, it might come at 7, and it might come better. Acceleration cannot come with the use of a whip. Slow growing brains may grow further. 我們驚嘆于莫扎特在 2 歲時創作了他的第一件作品。為什么我們的孩子不能這樣做？也許鋼琴或小提琴的早期課程可以提供幫助嗎？等等！維基百科稱莫扎特 3 歲開始創作？那還有一年。也許這款平板電腦應用會有所作為？也許我們可以將鋼琴時間翻倍，她還能做到嗎？然后，我們聽到 ABC 新聞，莫扎特 4 歲開始創作？莫扎特制作他的第一部簡單作品的實際年齡可能實際上是 5 歲。這仍然令人印象深刻。他令人難以置信的開始可能來自早熟與父親的影響。完美的智慧風暴和理想的成長經歷。對于所有充滿希望的父母來說，信息應該是清楚的：偉大的養育方式會讓世界變得與眾不同。然而，任何父母都不應該對成就強加時間表。如果它不是 5 歲，它可能會在 7 歲，它可能會變得更好。使用鞭子不能加速。生長緩慢的大腦可能會進一步增長。 As for playing Mozart music to a baby in the womb, it might rather scare the baby or just wake her up. Fetuses may have a good hearing, but their memory isn't too good. Research show they are able to form some memories, but consider that they will start recognizing their name only at 5-7 months old. Mozart will do little to their development. Considering the brain growth stages, this will definitely have no effect on anyone's chances of bringing up a Mozart's successor. Nothing will work better for the latter than instilling a **passion** for music early. And when I say "early", I do not mean a newborn or perhaps even a toddler. Whatever you do before the brain is ready will likely be wasted time. And if the passion for music does not come, some [other passion will](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Passion_and_memory). 至于在子宮里給嬰兒播放莫扎特音樂，它可能會嚇到嬰兒或者只是叫醒她。胎兒可能有良好的聽力，但他們的記憶力不太好。研究顯示他們能夠形成一些記憶，但考慮到他們將在 5 - 7 個月后開始識別他們的名字。莫扎特對他們的發展幾乎沒有什么作用。考慮到大腦發育階段，這絕對不會影響任何人培養莫扎特繼任者的機會。對于后者來說，沒有什么比及早灌輸對音樂的**熱情**更好的了。當我說「早」時，我并不是指新生兒或甚至是幼兒。無論你在大腦準備好之前做了什么，都可能浪費時間。如果對音樂的熱情沒有到來，有些[其他激情會](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Passion_and_memory)來。 ### 15.7 Precocity paradox ### 早熟悖論 Kids with astronomical IQs tend to grow up to be successful but otherwise pretty normal, or dare I say, average adults. There is only a weak correlation between IQs above 120 \(i.e. smart\) and the degree of success in life. On the other hand, people with genius accomplishments often appear to be pretty ordinary while at school. It is the principle of slow but unrestrained growth that may explain the child prodigy paradox. Why so many prodigies burn out before reaching their adult peak? There have been a lot of hypotheses on the phenomenon: 擁有天文智商的孩子往往會長大成功，但在其他方面非常正常，或者我敢說，普通成年人。智商在 120 以上（即聰明）與生活成功程度之間的相關性較弱。另一方面，具有天才成就的人在學校時往往看起來很普通。這是緩慢但不受限制的成長原則，可能解釋了神童悖論。為什么這么多神童在達到他們的成年高峰之前就已經精疲力盡了？對這種現象有很多假設： * unmet expectations * 未滿足的期望 * lost passions * 失去了激情 * excess parental ambition and frustration * 過度的父母抱負和沮喪 * the sense of losing ground to those who catch up at later years \(see: [Dangers of being a Straight A student](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Dangers_of_being_a_Straight_A_student)\) * 被那些在晚年趕上來的人趕超的感覺（見：[成為全 A 學生的危險](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Dangers_of_being_a_Straight_A_student)） * disappointment with how the society works * 對社會如何運作感到失望 * inadequacy of childhood IQ measurements * 童年時智商測量不足 * our fascination with memory as opposed to true talent * 我們對記憶的迷戀與真正的人才相對 * in music, lack of correlation between instrumental proficiency and music genius, etc. * 在音樂方面，樂器熟練程度和音樂天才之間缺乏相關性等。 Very often the explanation may be simpler and not that optimistic. The explanation is rooted in understanding how the young brain develops: 通常，解釋可能更簡單，也不那么樂觀。解釋的根源在于了解年輕大腦是如何發展的： > **Those who accelerate early may peak early** > > **早期加速的人可能會提前達到巔峰**  > **Figure: Precocity paradox** explains why early acceleration may also result in an early stagnation. Slow and rich brain growth will prolong a set of unwelcome side effects of neurogenesis such as childhood amnesia. This may lead to an illusion that early academic training improves long-term developmental prospects. In reality, early acceleration may be a result of the crystallizing effect of stress on the brain structures. Kids who bloom late may bloom better. The best way to assist a healthy brain development is freedom and access to rich environments > > **圖：早熟悖論**解釋了為什么早期加速也可能導致早期停滯。緩慢而豐富的大腦發育會延長神經發生的一系列不受歡迎的副作用，如童年失憶癥。這可能會導致一種錯覺，即早期的學術培訓可以改善長期的發展前景。在現實中，早期加速可能是應力對大腦結構的結晶效應的結果。開花晚的孩子可能會開花得更好。幫助大腦健康發展的最好方法是自由和進入豐富的環境 ### 15.8 Nigeria rules the world! ### 尼日利亞統治世界！ I am a great fan of African football. I always celebrate when "my" players bring home another world cup. Africa rules the world! If you are not too deep into football, you probably ask _"World Cup? When? It is Germany and Brazil who seem to always win the Cup!"_. The fact is that Nigeria won the world cup 5 times. More than any other nation in history. Ghana won it 3 times. It all happened at the youth level. This is a happy story of precocity. If you look at those young African teams, they are not only more physical and stronger. They jump higher, run faster, and fear no bone-breaking challenge. They are also smarter. You can see that in their every move, decision, and their teamwork. They are happy. They play happy. Why didn't we have an African world champion at the senior level? It is because of the fact that precocity does not always translate to adult genius. West Africans reap a lot of benefit from accelerated motor development and early puberty. They are the best sprinters. Usain Bolt is of the same lineage. It is at the senior level, when the [Prussian discipline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_education_system) takes over and we grind to the peak of human achievement. Perhaps this is why Germany is the current title holders \(2016\). I have no doubt Africa's time is to come soon. Africans need to take better care of the precocious young before sending them out for exploitation in Europe? Africa needs to inject some Prussian planning and smart management. Precocity cannot be exploited. It must be managed in kid gloves. 我是非洲足球的超級球迷。我總是慶祝「我的」球員帶回家的另一個世界杯。非洲統治世界！如果你不是太深入足球，你可能會問「_世界杯？什么時候？德國隊和巴西隊似乎總是贏得冠軍！_」。事實是尼日利亞隊 5 次贏得世界杯冠軍。比歷史上任何其他國家都多。加納贏了 3 次。這一切都發生在青年層面。這是一個關于早熟的快樂故事。如果你看看那些年輕的非洲球隊，他們不僅身體更強壯。他們跳得更高，跑得更快，并且不怕骨折的挑戰。他們也更聰明。你可以在他們的一舉一動，決定和團隊合作中看到這一點。他們很高興。他們玩得開心。為什么我們沒有高級別的非洲世界冠軍？這是因為早熟并不總能轉化為成年后的天才。西非人從加速運動發育和早期青春期中獲益良多。他們是最好的短跑運動員。尤塞恩·博爾特也有同樣的血統。在高級階段，[普魯士的紀律](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_education_system)接管了一切，我們逐漸達到人類成就的頂峰。也許這就是為什么德國是目前的冠軍得主（ 2016 年）。我毫不懷疑非洲的時間即將到來。非洲人在把他們送到歐洲去剝削之前，需要更好地照顧早熟的年輕人嗎？非洲需要注入一些普魯士的計劃和聰明的管理。早熟是不能被利用的。必須小心翼翼地管理。 Africa's early success is a good metaphor for brain development in education. Accelerated development does not always translate to peak performance at adulthood. Just the opposite, many a great physicist or mathematician started out with seemingly troubled childhood. Speaking late, suspected autism, monothematic interests, strange behavior, social issues, ostracism, troublemaking, [bullying](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Bullying), [ADHD](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Confusing_creativity_with_ADHD), OCD, etc. This is often the price of a brain that keeps growing and fails to congeal its structure early. If your child is healthy but behind some targets, this might actually be a good thing. 非洲的早期成功是教育中大腦發展的一個很好的比喻。加速發展并不總能轉化為成年期的最佳表現。恰恰相反，許多偉大的物理學家或數學家開始時似乎陷入了困境。說話較晚、疑似自閉癥、單一主題的興趣、奇怪的行為、社會問題、排斥、制造麻煩、[欺凌](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Bullying)、[注意力缺陷多動癥](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Confusing_creativity_with_ADHD)、強迫癥等。這通常是大腦不斷增長并且不能及早凝結其結構的代價。如果你的孩子是健康的，但落后于某些目標，這實際上可能是一件好事。 ### 15.9 Summary: baby brain problems ### 摘要：嬰兒大腦的問題 * children have a very bad long-term memory * 孩子的長期記憶非常糟糕 * bad long-term memory in children results from fast growth, and [re-structuring of the brain](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Infantile_amnesia_caused_by_neurogenesis) * 兒童的長期記憶力不好是由于快速增長和[重建大腦](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Infantile_amnesia_caused_by_neurogenesis)所致 * the myth of children as perfect learning machines comes from their ability to store information in short-term memory * 兒童作為完美學習機器的錯誤觀念來自于他們將信息存儲在短期記憶中的能力 * children store a lot of information in short-term memory because they spend all their days learning new things * 孩子們在短期記憶中存儲了大量信息，因為他們花了很多時間學習新事物 * children can use words and phrases in the long term because they keep relearning things they use often * 孩子們可以長期使用單詞和短語，因為他們會經常重新學習他們經常使用的東西 * slow development based on unrestricted brain growth may produce better outcomes in the long-term * 基于不受限制的大腦發育的緩慢發展可能會在長期內產生更好的結果 * early acceleration in development does not need to translate to success in adulthood * 發展的早期加速不需要轉化為成年期的成功 * all forms of "accelerated learning" should be taken with caution * 所有形式的「加速學習」都應謹慎對待 * kids should **never** be made to learn if they show no interest or refuse \(see: [Learn drive](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive), [Pleasure of learning](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning), and [Push zone](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Push_zone)\) * 如果孩子沒有興趣或拒絕學習，就永遠**不要**讓他們學習（見：[學習內驅力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learn_drive)，[學習的樂趣](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Pleasure_of_learning)，和[推動區](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Push_zone)） * [stress](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stress_resilience) accelerates learning \(which is bad for long-term development\) * [壓力](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Stress_resilience)加速學習（這對長期發展不利） * maternal separation [improves memories via stress hormones](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learning_acceleration_via_stress). This may limit brain's growth potential * 母親分離[通過壓力荷爾蒙改善記憶](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Learning_acceleration_via_stress)。這可能會限制大腦的增長潛力 * development acceleration induced by [daycare may turn out to be harmful](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Daycare_misery) * 由幼兒園引起的發展加速[可能會被證明是有害的](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Daycare_misery) * [infantile amnesia](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Infantile_amnesia) means that children hardly ever remember things from before the age of three * [嬰兒失憶癥](https://supermemo.guru/wiki/Infantile_amnesia)意味著孩子們幾乎不記得三歲以前的事情 * child prodigies often experience burnout at adolescence or early adulthood. This may be an expression of the early peak in development * 神童經常在青春期或成年早期出現倦怠感。這可能是發展早期高峰的表現 * playing Mozart to a womb is more likely to scare the baby than to produce a music genius * 在子宮里演奏莫扎特更有可能嚇到嬰兒，而不是產生音樂天才 * math and physics geniuses often come from troubled childhood * 數學和物理天才常常來自困難重重的童年