Chapter 7 - The vital years

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The vital years	229

a little Isaac Newton - the perfect scientist. What kind of musical instrument can I make from this material (shaking it)? What is the sociological, economic value of this material (putting it in his mouth)? Anybody want some (offering it around)? What is the engineering, mechanical, tensile strength of the material (pulling it apart)? Stick it in the chemical laboratory (chewing it)? Check the musical instrument - and on to the next experiment. Now the baby is using all of its brain. Logic? Yes. Analysis? Yes. Rhythm? Yes. Everything? Yes."
  Scientists have tested this infant ability in many ways. In 1964, Benjamin S. Bloom, Professor of Education at the University of Chicago, published a summary of major research findings. In it, he studied five main human characteristics between birth and age 17 and 18: height, general learning ability, school achievement, aggressiveness in males and dependence in females.3
  Overwhelmingly, he found that development soared in the first few years - then tapered off. Generally it reached its halfway point before the fifth birthday. He found boys reached 54 percent of their maximum height by their third birthday, another 32 percent between three and 12, and the last 14 percent by the 18th birthday.
  He also concluded that among both girls and boys, about 50 percent of intelligence, as measured in tests at 17, took place between conception and age four, about 30 percent between four and eight, and the final 20 percent between the ages of eight and 17. Even researchers who question the validity of standardized intelligence tests would probably endorse this overall finding - so long as the words learning ability are substituted for intelligence.
  Bloom also analyzed vocabulary, reading comprehension and general school achievement between birth and age 18. This convinced him that 33 percent of an 18-year-old's academic skills are achieved by age six, 42 percent between six and 13, and 25 percent between 13 and 18.
  Since Bloom's study, much other research has shown, however, that several differences between male and female brains do show up early in life.
  The corpus callosum in baby girls, for instance, is generally thicker than in boys. This helps most girls to read earlier than boys. Generally girls speak earlier and learn languages more quickly. Males seem to have better distance vision and depth perception than females, making them more adept at certain sports.4

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