Are artistic brains different? - 6 Minute English

Summary

In this episode of 6 Minute English, hosts Neil and Sam explore the question of whether artists' brains are different from others. They discuss the idea that artistic ability may come naturally to some and introduce Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain's research on how artists' visual processing differs from non-artists, including larger eye movements and a focus on the 'gist' of an image. Self-taught painter Mike from Malawi argues that artistic ability can be learned, as he has experienced in teaching others. The episode also touches on the famous composer Mozart, who composed his first piece at the age of five, and concludes with a vocabulary recap, emphasizing terms like 'child prodigy,' 'processing,' 'gist,' 'tips,' 'blown away,' and 'trainable.'

Takeaways

• 🎨 The script discusses the nature of artistic ability and whether it is innate or can be learned, suggesting that there might be differences in the way artists' brains process visual information.
• 🧠 It introduces the concept of 'artists' brains' being different, hinting at potential neurological distinctions that may affect how they perceive and create art.
• 👀 Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain's research indicates that artists' eyes make larger, quicker movements and shorter fixations when drawing, suggesting a more holistic approach to visual processing.
• 🎼 The script mentions Mozart as an example of a child prodigy, highlighting the idea that some individuals may have a natural talent for music from a very young age.
• ❓ It poses the question of whether artistic brains are different from others, without providing a definitive answer, leaving room for the exploration of various perspectives.
• 🔍 The term 'processing' is used to describe how the brain makes sense of visual information, with artists possibly having a unique way of doing so.
• 🌐 The script introduces the idea of 'gist', which refers to understanding the overall meaning or impression of something without focusing on the details.
• 👨‍🎨 Mike, a self-taught painter, argues that artistic ability can be developed and learned, contrary to the notion of it being solely innate.
• 🛠️ Mike provides 'tips' to his students, which are practical pieces of advice that can help improve their painting skills, emphasizing the teachable aspect of art.
• 🤯 The expression 'blown away' is used to describe the astonishment one feels when witnessing significant improvement or an impressive event.
• 🛣️ The script concludes with the idea that everyone's brain may work by focusing on some areas and ignoring others, creating a unique 'jigsaw puzzle' of abilities.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the 6 Minute English episode?

The main topic of discussion is whether artists' brains are different from those of non-artists and if artistic ability comes naturally or can be learned.

What does Sam consider himself to be in terms of artistic ability?

Sam considers himself quite artistic, mentioning that he can play the piano a bit.

What is Neil's perspective on his own artistic ability?

Neil does not consider himself artistic, humorously suggesting that playing football might be considered artistic if it counts.

What is the term used to describe a young child with exceptional musical talent, as mentioned in the script?

The term used is 'child prodigy'.

At what age did Mozart compose his first piece of music?

Mozart composed his first piece of music at the age of five.

What does Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain investigate in her research?

Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain investigates how artists see the objects they are drawing by measuring saccades, the rapid movements our eyes make.

What does the term 'processing' refer to in the context of the script?

In the script, 'processing' refers to how the brain makes sense of the information it receives, particularly in the context of visual perception in artists.

What does Mike, a self-taught painter from Malawi, believe about artistic ability?

Mike believes that artistic ability is not something one is born with, but rather it can be learned and trained.

What is the term used to describe the overall general impression of something without focusing on the details?

The term used is 'gist'.

What does Mike compare the learnability of painting to?

Mike compares the learnability of painting to learning to ride a bike.

What is the term used to describe the ability to be taught or trained, as mentioned in the script?

The term used is 'trainable'.

What vocabulary does the script suggest for understanding the concept of an artistic brain?

The script suggests vocabulary such as 'child prodigy', 'processing', 'gist', 'tips', 'blown away', and 'trainable'.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Artistic Brains: A Natural Gift or Learned Skill?

This paragraph introduces the topic of whether artistic ability is innate or can be learned. It presents the question of whether artists' brains are different from others, with a focus on their visual processing abilities. The script mentions historical and modern artists known for their unique behaviors, suggesting a possible link between creativity and unconventional thinking. It also poses a question about Mozart's age when he composed his first piece of music, hinting at the idea of prodigious talent. The segment ends with an introduction to Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain's research on the visual processing differences between artists and non-artists, specifically through the lens of eye movement studies.

05:02

🎼 Mozart's Prodigy and the Debate on Artistic Talent

This paragraph reveals the answer to the quiz question about Mozart, confirming that he was indeed a child prodigy who composed music at the age of five. It then provides a recap of the vocabulary introduced in the script, including terms like 'child prodigy,' 'processing,' 'gist,' 'tips,' 'blown away,' and 'trainable.' The vocabulary summary serves to reinforce the key concepts discussed, such as the idea that artistic talent might be both innate and acquirable through training. The segment concludes with a reflection on the ongoing debate about the nature of artistic talent, suggesting that perhaps everyone has the potential to develop artistic skills in their own unique way.

Keywords

💡Artistic

The term 'artistic' refers to the ability to create works of art, such as paintings, drawings, music, or dance. In the video, it is discussed in the context of whether artistic ability comes naturally to some people or if it is a skill that can be learned. For example, Sam considers himself 'quite artistic' because he can play the piano, while Neil does not feel artistic unless one counts his ability to play football.

💡Neuroscience of Art

Neuroscience of Art is the study of how the brain processes and creates art. It is a key concept in the video as it explores the possibility of whether artists' brains are different from others. Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain, a researcher in this field, investigates how artists' eyes move differently when they draw, suggesting a unique way their brains process visual information.

💡Saccades

Saccades are the rapid, simultaneous movements of both eyes between different points of focus. In the context of the video, Dr. Chamberlain's research shows that artists' saccades are larger and quicker when drawing, indicating a more global approach to visual processing. This is an important finding that contributes to the discussion on whether artists perceive the world differently.

💡Gist

The 'gist' refers to the general understanding or main idea of something without focusing on the details. In the video, it is mentioned that artists make bigger eye movements to capture the 'gist' of what they are observing, which is different from a non-artist's approach. This concept is used to illustrate the idea that artists may see the world in a more holistic manner.

💡Child Prodigy

A 'child prodigy' is a young person who displays exceptional talent or skill in a particular area, such as music, at an early age. The video uses Mozart as an example of a child prodigy, who composed his first piece of music at the age of five, demonstrating an innate artistic ability.

💡Processing

In the context of the video, 'processing' refers to how the brain makes sense of the information it receives, particularly in relation to visual information when drawing or observing. The script suggests that artists' brains may process visual information differently, which could explain their unique artistic abilities.

💡Tips

Tips in the video are pieces of advice given by Mike, a self-taught painter, to his students to help them improve their painting skills. This concept is used to argue that artistic ability can be learned and is not solely an innate talent.

💡Trainable

'Trainable' means capable of being taught or developed through training. Mike believes that painting is a skill that can be taught, as he has seen his students improve significantly after receiving his tips, suggesting that the artistic brain can be cultivated.

💡Blown Away

To be 'blown away' is an informal expression meaning to be very impressed or surprised by something. In the script, Mike is 'blown away' by the improvement of one of his students after following his painting tips, indicating the effectiveness of learning and training in developing artistic skills.

💡Jigsaw Puzzle

The 'jigsaw puzzle' metaphor is used in the video to describe the idea that everyone's brain works by focusing on some areas and ignoring others, creating a unique pattern with 'missing pieces.' This suggests that artistic ability may be a result of how each individual's brain prioritizes and processes information.

Highlights

The program explores whether artistic ability comes naturally to some and if artists' brains are different.

Neil and Sam discuss the possibility of artists having unique brain functions compared to non-artists.

The show introduces the question of whether artists' brains process visual information differently.

Dr. Rebecca Chamberlain's research on the neuroscience of art is featured, focusing on how artists see objects they draw.

Artists are found to take a more global approach to looking, with larger eye movements and shorter fixations.

The concept of 'gist' is introduced, referring to the overall impression of something without focusing on details.

Mike, a self-taught painter from Malawi, argues that artistic ability can be learned, contrary to being an innate talent.

Mike shares his experience of teaching a student who improved significantly in painting after receiving his tips.

The idea that painting, like riding a bike, is trainable is presented as evidence against the uniqueness of artists' brains.

The program suggests that everyone's brain may work by focusing on some areas and ignoring others, creating a personalized jigsaw puzzle.

Mozart's prodigious talent is highlighted, with the revelation that he composed his first piece of music at the age of five.

A recap of the vocabulary introduced in the program, including 'child prodigy', 'processing', 'gist', 'tips', 'blown away', and 'trainable'.

The program concludes without a definitive answer, suggesting that the question of artistic brains remains open for further exploration.

The importance of understanding the brain's role in artistic ability is emphasized for its potential impact on education and creativity.

The show encourages listeners to consider their own artistic abilities and the possibility of developing them through training and practice.

The discussion on artists' brains raises questions about the nature of talent and the extent to which it can be cultivated.

Transcripts

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from

BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.

And I’m Sam.

Would you say you’re artistic, Sam?

Can you draw or paint?

Do you dance or play music?

I play the piano a bit. Yes, I’d say I’m

quite artistic. How about you, Neil?

Well, if you count playing football as artistic

then yes, but basically no – I can’t paint.

We’ve been wondering why artistic ability

comes more naturally to some people than others,

so in this programme we’ll be asking:

are artists’ brains different?

We’ll hear two expert opinions, and as usual,

we’ll learn some useful new vocabulary as well.

So, what do you think, Neil? Are artists’ brains

different from other people’s?

I’m not sure, Sam, but it’s true that many

artists behave differently, often in very

strange ways. For example, did you know

that Michelangelo worked so hard he never

took a bath! Or that guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix,

once set fire to his guitar on stage!

We’ll hear more about the artist’s brain soon,

but first I have a question for you. As you said,

artistic ability comes naturally to some people,

including the famous composer,

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart was

considered a child prodigy - a young child with

very great musical talent. So, how old was

Mozart when he composed his first

piece of music? Was he: a) five years old?

b) ten years old? or, c) fifteen years old?

I’ll guess he was a) five years old.

OK, Sam. I’ll reveal the answer later in the

programme. If artists’ brains are different,

it could mean they see the world in unusual ways.

Dr Rebecca Chamberlain is a researcher in

the neuroscience of art. She investigates how

artists see the objects they  are drawing by measuring 

saccades – the rapid movements our eyes make

as they jump from one thing to another. Here she

shares her findings with BBC

World Service programme, CrowdScience.

Artists seem to be processing the visual world

in a different way to non-artists, particularly

when they’re drawing. The artist actually takes

a more global approach to looking – so they

make bigger saccades, bigger eye movements,

and shorter fixations on  the image. So, it’s almost

like they’re getting much more of a kind of

gist level view of the thing they’re looking at.

Rebecca’s experiments seem to confirm that

artists’ brains work differently because of their

processing of the visual world – the way

their brains make sense of information.

Interestingly, processing also means the act

of developing pictures from photographic film.

When they draw, artists make bigger, quicker

eye movements so they are able to see the

whole picture, something also known as

the gist – the overall, general impression of

something without focussing on the details.

If you ‘get the gist’ of what someone is saying,

you understand the overall meaning of what

they say, but not the details.

The second expert to answer our question

about the artistic brain is Mike, a BBC World

Service listener from Malawi. Mike is

a self-taught painter who creates large,

colourful pictures in his studio.

According to him, artistic ability isn’t something

you’re born with - it can  be learned, as he explained

to BBC World Service’s, CrowdScience.

I had this other student… he was really

at the zero, like, he could not draw – at all.

So, I gave him some tips, and in a month,

he was really good – he was like really surprised,

blown away, he never expected it.

So, there are some things that are trainable,

it’s like a bike. In my case, I learned how to do

those things without anyone telling me,

you know like, if you are drawing the face,

the human face, the distance between your eyes

is the same as one of your eyes.

Mike gives tips to his students – helpful

pieces of advice about how to do something,

in this case, to paint. After getting Mike’s

tips, one of his students really improved and

started painting much better. Mike was

blown away – an informal way to say very

impressed or surprised.

Like learning to ride a bike, Mike thinks that

painting is trainable – a word from American

English meaning that it can be taught

or trained. For him, this is proof that

artists’ brains are not so different after all.

So, there we have it – two different options,

but no final answer to our question.

Still, some scientists think there may be

third possibility: everyone’s brain works

by focussing on some areas and ignoring others,

making a kind of jigsaw puzzle with

missing pieces. Maybe all of us – you, me,

Mozart and Jimi Hendrix - are just filling in

the missing pieces our own way.

Speaking of Mozart, Neil, it’s time to reveal

the answer to your question.

Right. I asked how old child prodigy Mozart

was when he first composed music.

I said he was five years old… so, was I right?

Your answer was correct! Mozart was five

when first wrote music, and by the age of six

he had performed in front of the

Emperor of Austria – twice!

Now there’s an artistic brain!

OK, Neil, let’s recap the vocabulary from

this programme, starting with child prodigy -

a young child, like Mozart, with

a great talent in something.

Processing describes how your brain

makes sense of the information it receives.

The gist of something is a general

understanding of it, without the details.

Tips are useful pieces of advice about

how to do something better.

If you are blown away, you are very

impressed or surprised by something.

And finally, trainable means able to be

trained or taught, in American English.

Once again, our six minutes are up.

It’s goodbye for now!

Goodbye!