Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

Concepts: How the Brain Constructs Reality, Emotional Experience and Who You Are - w/ Nicholas Shea


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Ever wonder why you can recognise your friend's face instantly but struggle to remember where you put your keys? Your brain is running the most sophisticated learning system ever created, and most of us have no clue how it actually works.


Nicholas Shea is an Oxford and King's College Researcher working in philosophy of mind, cognitive neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

He breaks down the fascinating psychology behind how we build concepts in our minds. Think of concepts as mental shortcuts - when you see a dog, you don't analyse four legs, fur, and a tail. Your brain instantly accesses everything you know about dogs.

We dissect these fundamental building blocks of learning into how the brain actually works and learns, and build mastery.

Three key takeaways:

  • What builds basic concepts into subject mastery?
  • How do emotions inform decision-making?
  • The real difference between deliberate practice and passive learning

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          Nicholas Shea

          • Nick & his work - https://www.nicholasshea.co.uk/
            • Book - Concepts at The Interface - https://philpapers.org/rec/SHECAT-11
              • Paper - Concepts as Plug and Play Devices - https://www.nicholasshea.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Shea_22_Concepts_plug-and-play_RSTB_OA.pdf

              • Recommended Books

                • "Consciousness Explained" - Daniel Dennet
                  • Metazoa : Animal minds and the birth of consciousness” - Peter Godfrey Smith
                    • "Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Origins of Consciousness” -Peter Godfrey Smith
                      • "The Pleistocene Social Contract" - Kim Sterelny
                        • Helen Steward - Article - Do animals have free will - https://philosophersmag.com/do-animals-have-free-will/



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                          Growth Mindset Psychology:

                          Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.

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                          Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement


                          Episode: The Building Blocks of Learning and Mastery in the Brain - w/ Nicholas Shea


                          Chapters:

                          00:00 How does your mind really work?

                          03:21 Playing with Concepts

                          05:00 Overview of Concepts in Psychology

                          06:14 Building and Storing Concepts

                          06:30 Concept Learning in Adults

                          07:59 Concept Acquisition in Children

                          08:46 Motor Skills and Conceptual Thinking

                          09:29 Automatic vs. Deliberate Thinking

                          11:00 Richness and Accessibility of Concepts

                          13:56 Cognitive Shortcuts and Biases

                          15:09 Narration on how media affects our thoughts

                          17:27 The Frame Problem in AI

                          22:25 Emotions in Decision Making

                          26:17 Animal Cognition and Emotions

                          29:14 Neurotransmitters and Learning

                          30:44 Philosophy methods and experimentation

                          31:32 Interdisciplinary Approach in Philosophy

                          33:13 Practical Implications of Abstract Research

                          34:29 Challenges in Applying Theoretical Insights

                          37:54 Recommended Books and Final Thoughts

                          39:45 Books Repeated

                          40:34 Take-home ideas

                          42:27 How to change the world podcast

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