Maya Ellison
Plasticity is the capacity for something to be moulded or altered. This term is used across a range of fields, including physics, materials science, psychology, and biology. In physics, plasticity refers to the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation, a non-reversible change of shape in response to applied forces. In psychology, plasticity refers to brain plasticity, or the ability for nerve cells to change through new experiences. This process of changing nerve cells is known as learning, and it was once believed that this type of change only occurred in childhood. However, modern psychologists believe that nerve cells can continue to change well into adulthood.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Quality or state | Being plastic, soft, or malleable |
| Capacity | Being moulded or altered, retaining a new shape |
| Brain's ability | Learning, recovering functions, adapting and growing |
| Neural pathways | Continuous alteration, formation of new pathways |
| Synapses | Continuous alteration, formation, elimination, or modification |
| Response | Experience, injury, degeneration, or regeneration |
| Materials | Permanent deformation, non-reversible change of shape |
| Physical mechanisms | Dislocations, slip at microcracks, bubble or cell rearrangements |
| Hardness | Increase in hardness due to prior deformation |
| Deformation speed | Higher stresses required to increase rate of deformation |
| Ductility and malleability | Directly proportional to plasticity |
| Crystal lattice | Deformation caused by slip and twinning |
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What You'll Learn
Neural plasticity
The term plasticity was first used in 1890 by William James in his book, 'The Principles of Psychology'. In it, James described plasticity as "a structure weak enough to yield to an influence, but strong enough not to yield all at once". In the same book, he also proposed the idea that the brain and its functions are not fixed throughout adulthood.
The term neural plasticity was first used by Polish neuroscientist Jerzy Konorski. However, the concept of neural plasticity was first observed in 1793 by Italian anatomist Michele Vincenzo Malacarne. Malacarne conducted experiments where he paired animals, trained one extensively for years, and then dissected both. He discovered that the cerebellum of the trained animal was larger than that of the untrained animal.
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Synaptic plasticity
Plasticity is the capacity for continuous alteration and adaptation. Synaptic plasticity, therefore, refers to the brain's ability to adapt and change over time by altering the neural pathways and synapses in response to experience or injury. It is the brain's ability to learn, and it involves the formation of new pathways and synapses, as well as the elimination or modification of existing ones. Synaptic plasticity is a dynamic process that is maintained in equilibrium.
The strengthening of a synapse is called long-term potentiation (LTP), and the weakening of a synapse is called long-term depression (LTD). These are two forms of long-term plasticity that occur at excitatory synapses and have been directly linked to learning and memory. The hippocampus, for example, is a key structure for studying synaptic plasticity, and its synaptic network is relatively simple and well-known.
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Brain modifiability
The brain's ability to learn is derived from its plasticity, which enables neurons to constantly edit and remodel the connections (synapses) they make with other neurons to form circuits. This process is known as synaptic pruning, where frequently used neurons develop stronger connections, while those that are rarely or never used eventually die.
Plasticity in the brain refers to its malleability or ability to change and adapt in response to experiences or injuries. This involves the continuous alteration of neural pathways and synapses, leading to the formation of new pathways and the modification or elimination of existing ones. The brain's plasticity forms the basis of cognitive modifiability, which is influenced by the amount and quality of interactions with the individual's environment or ecology. Intensive and consistent mediation and activation of cognitive functions and communication play a crucial role in modifiability, challenging the notion that adverse early experiences result in permanent and irreversible damage.
The concept of cognitive modifiability goes beyond the remediation of specific behaviors and skills, aiming for structural changes that alter the course of cognitive development. This perspective on brain structure and functioning has significant implications for rehabilitation, education, and assessment, shifting away from static models. The brain's plasticity allows for functional and structural plasticity, enabling it to move functions from damaged areas to undamaged areas and change its physical structure through learning.
Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, is a dynamic process that occurs throughout the lifetime, with certain types of changes being more prominent at specific ages. The brain undergoes rapid growth and reorganisation during the early years, with young brains being more sensitive and responsive to experiences compared to older brains. However, adult brains retain their ability to adapt and form new connections. Genetics and the interaction between the environment and genetics also influence the brain's plasticity.
The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program, developed by the Feuerstein Institute (formerly known as the International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential), focuses on cognitive modifiability. This approach emphasizes the belief in human modifiability and the potential for changes in cognitive development through interventions like Mediated Learning Experience (MLE). Research has shown that MLE can produce unique changes in the human organism, providing a scientifically founded approach to cognitive modifiability.
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Plastic deformation
In physics and materials science, plasticity is defined as the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent, non-reversible changes in shape in response to applied forces. This phenomenon, also known as plastic deformation, is observed in a wide range of materials, particularly metals, soils, rocks, concrete, and foams.
At the crystalline scale, plasticity in metals is often associated with dislocations, which are defects in the crystal structure. These dislocations allow planes of atoms to slip past each other, resulting in a permanent change of shape. In brittle materials like rock, concrete, and bone, plasticity is predominantly caused by slip at microcracks, while in cellular materials such as liquid foams or biological tissues, it is a result of bubble or cell rearrangements.
The plasticity of a material is influenced by factors such as deformation speed, ductility, and malleability. Prior deformation, such as cold forming, can also impact the amount of stress required for further deformation. Additionally, the presence of other defects within a crystal can affect the mobility of dislocations, localizing plasticity to specific regions called shear bands.
Understanding plastic deformation is crucial in engineering, where the transition from elastic to plastic behaviour, known as yielding, is of significant interest. This knowledge is applied in various operations, including forming, shaping, and extruding metals, to ensure the desired outcomes and prevent product failures.
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Artistic plasticity
Plasticity is a term that is used across various fields, including art, neurology, and physics. In the context of artistic plasticity, the term "plastic arts" generally refers to art that is three-dimensional or involves the representation of solid objects with a three-dimensional effect. The concept of plasticity in art is not limited to visual arts but can also include other forms such as poetry.
In the field of neurology, plasticity refers to the brain's ability to learn and adapt. This is achieved through the formation, modification, and elimination of neural pathways and synapses in response to experiences or injuries. Artistic endeavours can be facilitated by this neural plasticity, allowing individuals to develop their creative skills and shape their artistic expressions.
Plasticity in the context of physics and materials science refers to the ability of a solid material to undergo deformation or a change of shape in response to applied forces. For instance, a piece of metal being bent or moulded into a new shape exhibits plasticity as intrinsic changes occur within the material itself. This understanding of plasticity in materials science provides artists and craftspeople with the knowledge to work with various substances, understanding their capacity for deformation and reshaping.
Overall, artistic plasticity encompasses the creative process of shaping and reshaping artistic endeavours, the neurological underpinnings that facilitate learning and adaptation in art, and the understanding of how materials can be manipulated and altered to achieve desired artistic outcomes.
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Frequently asked questions
Plasticity is the quality or state of being plastic, or the capacity to be moulded or altered.
Brain plasticity refers to the ability of nerve cells to change through new experiences. This is also known as the brain's ability to learn.
In physics, plasticity is the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation or a non-reversible change of shape in response to applied forces.
