Refining Our Understanding of the Influence of Culture on Human Development: a Situated Cognition Approach

Abstract

"In the present paper, we discuss the theoretical and methodological benefits of refining the current models which are focused on the influence of culture on human development based on theoretical models and empirical findings which stem from the situated cognition approach on culture. Firstly, to illustrate the current approach on culture and human development, we review the Ecocultural Model of Development, which focuses on the manner in which caregivers’ cultural models are associated with their parental beliefs (i.e., socialization goals and parental ethnotheories), their parental practices and ultimately with the child’s development. Secondly, we explore two models based on a situated cognition approach: the Cultural Task analysis model and the Culture as Situated Cognition approach. Based on the assumptions of these models and findings from our own lab, we discuss how we can theoretically refine current models which focus on the influence of culture on human development, and what methodological approaches these refinements can lead us to. In the paper we also outline several avenues for future research that stem from the reconceptualization of the influence of culture on human development, from a situated cognition perspective. Keywords: culture; human development; situated cognition; parental beliefs; cultural models"