Hi Everybody,
As archaeologists, we’re fascinated by the “nature” vs. “nurture” question. Is our nature (our soul, our genes) more important to who we are, and especially to who we become, or is our environment and the way we’re raised (nurture) more important? Is a child a “tabula rasa? A recent study by the University of California at Berkeley provides food for thought.
Here’s the issue: The study found that the actual structure of the brain is different in children from poor families. The prefrontal cortex which controls reasoning skills does not function as efficiently. Why?
Dr. Robert Knight, UC Berkeley professor of psychology, says that, “Kids from lower socioeconomic levels show brain physiology patterns similar to someone who actually had damage in the frontal lobe as an adult.”
Do you think the stressful environment and the nutritional deficiencies endured by impoverished children around the world might be responsible for this physiological phenomenon? Or is being impoverished the price of this physiological phenomenon?
You might to read this entire article before you respond. It’s an interesting read: berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2008/12/02_cortex.shtml.
For those of you with a scientific background, do you think the study adequately took into account all the possible contributing factors?
Regards,
Kathleen and Michael
As
One thought on “EEGs show brain differences between poor and rich kids”
March 19, 2009 at 10:45 pm
i am no scientist but found this disturbing but interesting study, i feel diet should have definatly been a higher priorty in this study as their are huge connections between poor diet and behaviour in children possibly even brain fuction, as many lower income familys find it cheaper to go for fastfood rather than buying and cooking a meal which i think in general is something to be looked at. It is being studied here quite a bit as australia has just overtaken the u.s as the highest rate of obseity per captia, especially in young children. It would jave been interesting if we could compare a study of children 10, 20, or 30 years ago in similar ecconomic situations to see if it is a product of a poor enviroment or more to do with diet. i was watching a interesting documentary once on what you are born with and a lot of our base personality is set from the moment of conception much like our eye and hair colour so if we were placid or more prone to aggressive behaviour etc can begin from then but of course is infuenced still by our up bringing, i think for me though in the end we are a product of our enviroment whether we get the best or worst out of it is up to us as plenty of kids have made it out of terrible situations and homes and become something amazing maybe in the end it’s just luck. I think some of your books have shown what can happen to children when something terrible happens to them i remember little dancer in people of the fire and what the death of his mother had done to him and the effect this had on those around him, or rumbler and little wren and what they went through and how i’m sure it utimatly shaped their future lives. Anyway i have rambled on a bit here sorry but my answer i would say is stressful environment and the nutritional deficiencies endured by impoverished children around the world would be most responisble as well as poor education and health care resources i don’t think it could ever be found to be one thing but many contributing factors. yours truly maree trevatt p.s can’t wait to see some other comments