Robert Paterson has found an interesting article on Informal and Formal Learning.
For most of us, we learn all the important lessons before we go to school. We learn how to talk. If we were exposed to more than one language before 4, we would learn a second or even a third language easily. We learn to walk and to have eye, hand foot coordination. We learn who we are and where we fit. We learn the rudiments of social life. If our parents encouraged us we would already know how to read and more importantly would like reading. We could acquire a host of skills if we had the opportunity. http://smartpei.typepad.com/our_kids_their_future/2003/10/informal_versus.html
I think this is a perspective useful to coaches as we deal directly with how people learn - or unlearn to get back to the behaviours Robert writes about.