‘Practice without theory’: a neuroanthropological perspective on embodied learning

Abstract

This paper, drawing on research on skill acquisition and sports training, asks two questions. First, how does the mimetic channel function and thus limit what can be acquired by bodily enculturation? Second, given that it was acquired through imitation, what must be the nature of the resulting bodily knowledge? These questions are addressed through a close examination of movement education, especially its neurological, psychological, and interactional dynamics in the Afro‐Brazilian art capoeira. The study of embodied knowledge and its development in bodily practices suggests that gaining bodily skills requires more than ‘knowledge’, involving changes in physiology, perception, comportment, and behaviour patterns in unsystematic, diverse modes. Embodied knowledge from this perspective appears more complex, less systematic or susceptible to structural account, than typically modelled. Résumé À partir de travaux sur l’acquisition de compétences et l’entraînement sportif, l’article pose deux questions. D’une part, comment fonctionne le canal mimétique, et comment limite‐t‐il ce qui peut être acquis par une enculturation corporelle ? D’autre part, sachant que l’apprentissage s’est fait par imitation, quelle peut être la nature des connaissances corporelles en résultant ? Ces questions sont abordées par le biais d’un examen attentif de l’éducation au mouvement, et notamment de sa dynamique neurologique, psychologique et interactive, dans l’art afro‐brésilien de la capoeira. L’étude des connaissances incorporées et de leur développement dans les pratiques corporelles suggère que l’acquisition de compétences physiques nécessite plus que des « connaissances » et implique des changements physiologiques, perceptifs et comportementaux de nature diverse et non systématique. De ce point de vue, les connaissances incorporées semblent plus complexes, moins systématiques ou susceptibles de faire l’objet d’un compte‐rendu structural, que dans les modèles classiques.

“Yeah, and What’s the Problem?” Embodiment, Cultural Practices and Working out in a Dutch Gym

“…As explained by (Downey 2010), the study of sports, dance or similar physical practices makes clear that skill is not simply the embodiment of knowledge, but rather physical, perceptual, neurological, and behavioural changes of the individual subject so that they can accomplish tasks that, prior to having embodied the abilities, were impossible. During my fieldwork, I could see that the experiences of the body as a means through which we relate to the world not only generates knowledge, a mental knowledge but also an embodied knowledge.…”

“…A myriad of authors (Csordas 1990;Román-Velázquez 1999;Mol and Law 2004;Crossley 2006a) have shown that, the embodied self unifies the phenomena of embodied cognition, perception, emotion and action. Instead of simply asserting that culture is "embodied", we should engage actively with those disciplines (human biology, neurosciences, cognitive and neuropsychology) which specifically study the human body, as well as with empirical research in order to expose how culture is embodied, its malleability, and the material and symbolic dimensions of these learning processes (Downey 2010;Thorpe 2014).…”

“…By constantly going to the gym the body enters into the practice and the practice into the body. (Downey 2010) calls it "bodily enculturation". Some respondents have said things like the following: "When I started practicing boxing, I was all the time thinking of having my hands up, and chin down, to throw a right hand when receiving a jab, but then it happens automatically.…”

“…Firstly, the study of embodied knowledge and its development in bodily practices suggests that gaining bodily skills requires more than "knowledge": it involves changes in physiology, perception, comportment, and behavioural patterns in unsystematic, diverse modes. The people working out at Saturn experience biological changes because of their workout: training may demonstrably bring out physiological changes, cultural changes and biological changes in the brain, nervous system, bones, joints, sensory organs, even endocrine and autonomic systems (Downey 2010).…”

Habilidades Perceptivas E Cultura: A Capoeira Como Modo De Ver E De Ser

“…7 Não abordarei aqui a questão da imitação, por constituir-se como uma problemática extensa e controvertida. O antropólogo e capoeirista estadunidense Greg Downey consagrou um artigo à discussão da imitação na aprendizagem na capoeira ressaltando os limites desse modo de enculturação (DOWNEY, 2010 A visão alcançando os 360 graus em torno do corpo constitui uma meta ou ideal de eficiência visual, aliás, metaforizada pelo ditado: Capoeirista é como abacaxi, não tem costa.…”