Behavior and the Brain: Mediation of Acquired Skills

Abstract

In this article, we employ a systems approach that crosses three levels of analysis—neurophysiology, psychology, and anthropology—to investigate the relationship between childhood experiences and adult skills. Our hypothesis is that early learning situations can result in neural entrainments, that have psychological consequences, some of which can later be reflected in a constellation of adult skills. This model can account for an association of adult behaviors that would otherwise resist explanation. In support of our model, we present both quantitative data resulting from treatments of ethnographic evidence contained in the Human Relations Area Files, and qualitative evidence abstracted from that source and from additional ethnographies.