Effects of SP on intelligence

[Quixote]

I'm starting to worry a bit about this. Intelligence needs to be cultivated, and the brain trained to develop and then to keep functioning.

For years I had such a limited amount of social life that I might have lost forever my chance to develop those functions of the brain that come with social activity. I am not talking of just social interaction in itself, but also many other things indirectly related to it, for example orientation (I'm always around the same places, except in the summer), or a certain "quickness" that many people seem to have in many practical situations, and that I lack completely.

Does anyone share this concern?

 

[Septor]

I think about that lot to.I don't know how much affect sp does have on intelligence.There's something that you learn when your a kids that just become harder the older you get but I don't think there's any thing that's irreversible.It might put you behind the curve and make it harder to learn these thing but you will just have to try harder to learn them.

 

[testobot]

I can understand your concern. I was worried (one of my worries) when younger that if I didn't conversate enough that my language skills and the ability to conversate might be compromised permenantly-- ironically enough, that pressure that I put on myself actually played as a factor in my silence, besides just feeling that alot of people, especially outgoing people (unfortunately I may have had some bad examples of them growing up) where potetentially and sometimes actually hostile and relationally agressive (popular 'alpha type' making fun of people whom maybe different or not conform in the same way).

As far as visual-spatial skills-- I am not 100% sure, but normally those do not wane until middle age--- but for me personally, I get lost at new places easily-- that is more scary and an annoyance for me than a major hinderance in my life.
As far as quickness, it is true the more plasticity (the level of intellecutal skills and the ability to switch between different intellectual skills) of the brain, the more quick and adaptable a person becomes.
I may have been affected but I have also learned that the older we become the more practical intelligence (wisdom) becomes important in maintaining relationships among family members and mentoring. To me, eventhough I may not have as many friends as I would have liked when I was younger, things such as meeting a wife ,having a family, and intimate friendships have become important, and fortunately I do not feel as much social competition from other people (well, I mean social competition affects me less significantly). And I have been fortunate enough to meet a fiancee- a decent, open-minded, and fair-minded person (yes, they actually exist 8O )

 

[Quixote]

As far as quickness, it is true the more plasticity (the level of intellecutal skills and the ability to switch between different intellectual skills) of the brain, the more quick and adaptable a person becomes.

Yes, that's the word I was looking for, I guess. I have no problem performing abstract intellectual tasks, but I often feel inadequate when it comes to solving everyday problems, especially involving multitasking. But it might be due to other factors besides "intelligence", which is a big word I shouldn't have used perhaps. I suspect part of my clumsiness in these everyday matters could be due to the fact that they usually involve social interaction.

Speaking of these everyday matters, I just remembered something that happened a while ago: I went somewhere by car and when it was time to go home I found the battery had died. I think I spent some fifteen minutes sitting inside it and trying to work out all the different possible solutions, something a normal person would have done in a matter of seconds I suppose. I am not used to practical problems, I lack all the habits and general knowledge connected to them.

In the end I decided to push start it (don't try it with automatic transmission ) went into a bar and asked to a group of people if they could come out a second and help me push it. Which shows how necessity can easily beat any phobia (up to a point).

 

[shipost]

Which shows how necessity can easily beat any phobia (up to a point).

gotta agree with that, I got lost when I went for a walk once and didn't know where I was so I asked somone. Phobia was gone and the feeling of being lost took over :lol:

 

[cLavain]

I think I spent some fifteen minutes sitting inside it and trying to work out all the different possible solutions, something a normal person would have done in a matter of seconds I suppose.

A fifteen minute reaction time when in a car is not a survival trait! :lol:

 

[Quixote]

I think I spent some fifteen minutes sitting inside it and trying to work out all the different possible solutions, something a normal person would have done in a matter of seconds I suppose.

A fifteen minute reaction time when in a car is not a survival trait! :lol:

It was properly parked and not able to move or do anything requiring reflexes And actually I am a pretty good driver 8)

 

[turtlegirl]

I saw a show once about severely neglected children who were prisoners in their parents house and were never talked to. Brain scans showed the language part of their brain to be significantly smaller than average. One kid in particular I remember was able to learn words but couldn't form sentences, so couldn't really communicate. After giving this child much encouragement and love, the social worker just abandoned the child to institutional living when it became apparent he/she would never master language skills.

Ever since I saw that show, I've worried that the social part of my brain is forever undeveloped. And since I wasn't social and didn't ask questions like a lot of kids do ("how does that work?", "why?" etc etc) my ability to learn is disadvantaged, since I just don't have many experiences to draw from. How can I possibly imitate?

I also felt more an object of amusement than a person worthy of respect when growing up. Maybe I'm just hyper sensitive but I wish my parents had shown me more the ways of the world instead of expecting that I was born with some practical living database everyone else in the world seems to have

 

[Richey]

That was an intelligent and insightful response that was quite depressing to read

 

[crescent]

I'm not sure if this is the effect of SP or not, but I can't concentrate when listening to a talk or lecture (especially when it's a big class). Last time when I used to study, I cannot get anything from lecture, my mind always wandering everywhere. When I realized that, I tried to go back to the lecture, but can't manage to do it long enough (maybe only 2 or 3 mins) then my mind start wandering again. No matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to keep my mind concentrate. Anyone has this problem?
I'm better in smaller class, like around 10 people, maybe because I'm aware that the teacher can easily see my reaction...

 

[brownbag]

traumatic effect on intelligence?? hmmm..

hey Quixote..how you doing man~

anyway i can see where you're coming from about not gettin the chance to develop intellectual abilities due to the sp/sa conditions, and i myself have thought about and worried about it too at times.

but what i would like to clarify here is that, the thing that "solidifies" along the way as you grow up, is your character, not your intelligence or speed of learning.

for speed of learning, it varies from person to person obviously.

intelligence and learning wise.. i don't think you should be too worried about that, cos you'll never lose that ability or lack in it whatsoever..
as long as you work your brain no matter how stagnant or inactive it may have been for a long period of time, it'll Always work.
all you need is perhaps a book about the subject you're working on, and practise on that certain situation u wanna be quicker to reacting at.
All you need to do is train your brain really.

take for example, Old people learning how to use the computer. i've seen 70+ or 80+ people learning how to use the computer and softwares in my country on tv here, and quite a number of them are actually quite proficient at it, and can actually process it all with practise.

although if u were talkin bout how sa/sp affects our thinkin and makes us slightly "slower" in thinking due to the anxiety pressure. i'd agree with that, and it is true [sadly] :?

God Bless.

 

[Quixote]

although if u were talkin bout how sa/sp affects our thinkin and makes us slightly "slower" in thinking due to the anxiety pressure. i'd agree with that, and it is true [sadly] Confused

No I was talking of potential permanent effects, but what you mention is also true. I just hope you are right about the impossibility of permanent effects, but I am a bit sceptical. Note that I am not talking about general intelligence, but only those functions that are normally developed, even indirectly, through social interaction.

I'm not sure if this is the effect of SP or not, but I can't concentrate when listening to a talk or lecture (especially when it's a big class)

I had the same problem for years, since the first day of elementary school until the end of secondary school I seldom ever listened to anything that was said in class. I would catch up later studying twice as much by myself at home. Not very efficient. I have gotten a little better at uni, though.
I also tend to be unable to concentrate on what I am doing, especially if it is some everyday thing. I'm always thinking about some other matter that is completely unrelated to what I am doing, like geopolitics or social phobia and anything in between

 

[brownbag]

sa makes us funky

Note that I am not talking about general intelligence, but only those functions that are normally developed, even indirectly, through social interaction.

ohhh i see, that's what you're talking about.
but i believe you can pick those up again anytime really.
and it'll come to you along the way of interacting with people more.
it's never lost.

I also tend to be unable to concentrate on what I am doing, especially if it is some everyday thing. I'm always thinking about some other matter that is completely unrelated to what I am doing, like geopolitics or social phobia and anything in between

me too.. haha! :lol:
like suppose i'm talkin to someone during lunchtime, i try to listen to what they're saying, but im sometimes thinking of what i'll be buying for dinner later, as a sort of "preparation" if u want to call it that. i dont know y.

funny how the mind is that way when you have this condition...~

 

[GIOLANDA]

Anybody can have problems of intelligence,I don't think SA has to do on this. If a SA person has problems like that when others are present,but it's OK when he's alone,able to concentrate,then the problem isn't real,it's the effect of social life. But I think that's an interesting subject for psychological research.

 

[testobot]

Hi Quioxte,
realistically speaking, scientific studies do show that social interaction does help develope brain plasticity. But that doesn't mean that all is hopeless- there are a number of things that you can do to stimulate different areas of the brain (in the place of social interaction) such as taking up music, becoming a geography expert, start writing short stories- (ugh,the parts that include dialogue are the worst for me!) Ah, and my favorite recent pasttime- traveling to Vietnam every few months! yay! Ho Chi Minh City is wonderful, and the feeling of anonymity among six million people + being with somebody that I feel confident and secure around is nice.

That is my strategy anywho- for the most part I think it works for me, except maybe for 2 things- 1) conversation skills- but my gf is helping with that- yes, these skills are picked up more easily when young- the speed and ease in which this skills are picked up diminishes, but these skills are never lost completely I suppose. 2) Excessive stress can cause cortisol damage to the hippocampus, which plays a role in retaining short term memory and creating new ones as well as certain emotional functions. This is the part that scares me :O Although on average most people are not affected long term and anxiety only affects immediate thinking-- maybe you can relate, but I have a difficult time conversating in part because of my anxiety- memory lacking and difficulty concentrating.

Anywho, people vary and yes, I hear you, you are concerned with developing specific intellectual skills rather than overall intelligence. On average most skills are not lost and what is affected in older individuals is the ability to learn novel information (called fluid intelligence). This doesn't mean it isn't possible learn novel info as we get older- of course it is! and we should keep learning new things as we get older. Also what keeps getting better and better are skills already developed called crystallized intelligence- these intellectual skills are the practical knowledge already acquired.

Hmmm.. I hope my writing has been more encouraging than not- first you are still young yet so do not give up any hope, and someone has already made the good point that as we age and develope, different intellectual skills become more useful than some that we may have thought are necessary when we are younger. Also, try as of course you already are, to reduce anxiety and improve your mood! This will do wonders for ability to learn new skills.

If all else fails then you can go to vietnam with me to climb the mountains in the north. :lol:

 

[testobot]

PS- sorry about my long verbose posts- I have a difficult time getting all my thoughts out in short posts and + I am kind of a nerd

 

[Septor]

It's like what other people have said you never loss the ability to learn.I look at it like this.It's like leaner a new language when you a kid.Kids naturally pick up and learn new language much easier then a older person could ever do but does that mean a older person can't learn a new language.Of course not.It will most certainly be a lot harder to learn that new language then when you was a kid and there sill might be some thing to that sets you apart like a accent but you can still learn the language regardless of age.

My point is as long as the basic building blocks have been put down as a child you can learn a language or anything else.It's no different then with social skill.Unless you was locked in a room the whole time you was a child you had to have some contact with people.Which means you have those basic building blocks that you need to learn listening skills,social skill and specific intellectual skills .Now this does not mean that it will be easy because your older now your capacity to learn have diminish from when you was was a kid but that does not mean you can't learn it.It just mean that it will be a lot harder to do so then when you was a kid but no one side life is ever easy.

I hope this make sense.I ramble on to much. :lol:

 

[Quixote]

Thanks to all for your meaningful replies

Excessive stress can cause cortisol damage to the hippocampus, which plays a role in retaining short term memory and creating new ones as well as certain emotional functions. This is the part that scares me

NOW that I know, it scares me as well, like hell Apart from that, yes I also like to travel, and I noticed I feel more alert and "quicker" when I come back, as if all the inevitable exposure and problems to solve (I travel alone) really make me temporarily quicker and smarter. Then it all disappears during the course of each boring year.

If all else fails then you can go to vietnam with me to climb the mountains in the north. Laughing

I guess the Alps are enough for me, but I'll think about it

Anybody can have problems of intelligence,I don't think SA has to do on this

Ehm, thanks, than I should not worry it's just the way I am

My point is as long as the basic building blocks have been put down as a child you can learn a language or anything else.It's no different then with social skill.Unless you was locked in a room the whole time you was a child you had to have some contact with people.Which means you have those basic building blocks

This is an interesting view, and one I can relate to since I learned english at a relatively old age...what can I say, I hope you are right!

PS just for the record, my IQ is 136. Not that I believe IQs to be very meaningful though. They only measure certain abilities. I could still be a complete fool.

 

[silverwolf]

everyone is worrying about nothing. You will not become less intelligent because you socialise less. I'm sure Albert Einstein and the rest of the super nerds out there aren't exactly tearing up every club in town. The only thing that will be underdeveloped is your knowledge of social interactions not your potential to learn them. Like an underused muscle training will be uncomfortable at first you will not be quick witted you will be awkward in your interactions you won't feel comfortable enough to laugh and you won't know what type of jokes to make. Persist in a consistent fashion and I am sure you will soon be on a level with your peers.

 

[Richey]

thats is so true