Specificity of learning, skill development and baby swimming in iceland.

Individual development is considered, by Gottlieb in his theory ´Probabilistic epigenesis´ to be the interaction between genes, neural activity, behavior and environment. The importance of stimuli and experience is central to Edelman's theory (Neuronal Group Selection Theory, NGST). Experience based selection create neural network in the brain. We suggest that Edelman´s approach support the theory of specificity of learning. That is, you will be good at exactly what you train. You will not be good unless you train exactly the skills or abilities that you have received stimuli / training or experience in. The learning process indicate the development of skills from surface learning to deep learning through four phases. How much experience and training we already have gained, in relation to the skill we are learning, decides where we are in the learning process.In relation to skill development, it is possible to talk about quantitative and qualitative changes.Quantitative changes involve developing new skills (the focus is not on the quality of the skill). Qualitative changes involve being better on a skill. The four phases are understanding the skill; acquiring and refining the skill; automatisation of the skill; generalisation of the skill. Learning principles indicates important aspects that determine how skills and knowledge are learned. The four learning principles are: Focused training; Challenges in relation to skills; Positive feedback and Self-monitoring. Research have indicated that baby swimming practice in Iceland may be important for child motor development and support the view of the specificity of learning.