Breakthroughs: Realizing Our Potentials Through Dynamic Tricky Mixes

Breakthroughs show readers the world of Tricky Mixes as key pathways to breakthrough advances--estimates of human potential may never be the same again.

Dynamic Systems theories and research provide the backbone concepts for Breakthroughs. Yet, readers discover that new Dynamic Mixes reveal untapped human potential in everyday situations not just in rigorous scientific studies. Individuals, small groups, and large organizations often get "stuck" in their progress by failing to respect and explore the complex interacting factors impacting their situations.

Breakthroughs present countless examples which reveal that variants of the same dynamic processes underlie being stuck, versus progressing at modest rates, or advancing at turbo speeds. These examples and events are drawn from research with Keith E. Nelson’s colleagues plus many independent labs around the world, as well as from first-person episodes of many kinds and from many sources. New cross-domain explorations and new insights propel readers into much higher levels of creativity, innovation, rapid learning, social problem solving, curiosity, and life balance. The Dynamic Tricky Mix perspective in most contexts helps shake up and improve paths toward solutions. In times of crisis, as in the Covid-19 pandemic, it becomes especially important to bring this kind of thinking to bear.

Keith E. Nelson earned a college degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Yale. He had a continuing career in studying children and teaching Psychology. Keith's work crosses boundaries between Developmental Psychology, Educational Psychology, Communication Disorders, Linguistics, Art Education, Dynamic Systems, Cognitive Psychology, Creativity and Innovation, Environmental Toxins, Human Relationships to Nature, and Evolution. The heart of his research concerns the developmental processes behind significant advances by children in every area of communication and thinking. Spoken language, sign language, reading and writing, and art have all been examined in typically developing children and in children with varied kinds of delays. Basic research has been translated widely into new procedures for helping to accelerate developmental progress in children with autism, language delay, dyslexia, and deafness. Publications have included 12 volumes in the book series, Children's Language, as well as over 100 journal articles and book chapters. Keith's deep interest in nature and the environment is reflected in his residence on a central Pennsylvania site with woods, streams, and abundant wildlife and in his book, Children, Pelicans, Planets: Bobcat.