Is it possible for brains to develop faster based on
circumstances?
I keep thinking of the boys in the 30’s or whenever
who ended up the man of the house and were able
to work hard and take care of their moms and sibs.
I don't know. Qx doesn't know--been away from the books too long, I guess.
Conjecture: Probably the brains don't mature all that much faster--though there is a range on the speed of maturing score--regardless.
However, mature behavior could build stronger mature-consistent-pathways that more or less functioned as a more mature brain. The odds are probably that the whole of the brain--particularly the judgment centers--would continue their age related maturing until done--regardless of how many specialized circuits had been built-up because of necessity of behaving more maturely in hard circumstances.
I guess that makes sense. Don't quiz me on it.
But what would it functionally matter if enough specialized earlier than usual circuits had been built up in trying contexts? How could one tell the difference other than by an MRI!
Example...a city boy versus a country boy.
IMO a country boy could survive in the city (he has experienced 'going to town' even if it's a small one), but a city boy couldn't survive in the country (ask 'em how to tie a hook on fishing line, or how to gut one when it's caught...the need to eat incentivizes faster learning)
There is an entire graduate level course in socio-psychology in that question.
Look at the early maturity of men who went to war. And what of the women in that time (knowing that female brains mature sooner).
Lots of research involved. To paraphrase Jihad Farooq al-Qerri, “Can I get me a government grant here?”