The Impact of Culture on Development. Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum. Read Chapter 1 of your textbook and the article Interpretive Approaches to Culture: Understanding and Investigating Children’s Psychological DevelopmentLinks to an external site.. Also, review the webpage How Culture Influences Children’s DevelopmentLinks to an external site.
. Arnet and Jensen (2019) define human development as “ways people grow and change across the life span [which] includes people’s biological, cognitive, psychological, and social functioning” (p. 4). For this discussion, reflect on your own development (or that of someone you know well) in these four areas and address the following:
What has been the most significant biological factor in your physical development?
How has your cognition impacted your development?
How have the dominant features of your culture impacted your psychological development?
How have the dominant features of your culture impacted your social function as you have grown?
Your post should be at least 400 words and reference all the assigned articles and web pages.
Textbook: Arneyt, J. J., & Jensen, L. A. (2019). Human development: A cultural approach (3rd ed.) Pearson.
The Impact of Culture on Development
Culture plays a significant role in shaping human development across biological, cognitive, psychological and social domains (Arnet & Jensen, 2019). This paper will explore how dominant cultural features have impacted my own development through a reflection on key stages and influences.
Biologically, my physical development has been most significantly impacted by my cultural upbringing in terms of diet and nutrition. Growing up in a South Asian household, my diet consisted primarily of home cooked meals emphasizing whole grains, lentils, vegetables and modest meat consumption (Misra et al., 2016). This culturally influenced nutrition is likely a factor in my average height and lean physique compared to Western peers (Popkin et al., 2012).
Cognitively, my development has been shaped by my bilingual exposure and education. Speaking both English and my mother tongue from a young age has been shown to enhance cognitive flexibility and problem-solving abilities (Bialystok et al., 2012). Additionally, my culture’s emphasis on academic achievement motivated me to excel in school (Tamis-LeMonda et al., 2008).
Psychologically, I experienced less independence and more collectivism than Western peers due to my culture’s emphasis on interdependence, obedience and family values over individualism (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). While this created some conflict navigating individual desires versus familial expectations during adolescence, it also fostered stronger family bonds and a sense of belonging (Fuligni et al., 1999).
Socially, I have been more reserved and community-oriented due to my culture’s preference for humility, modesty and respect for elders (Triandis, 2001). While this inhibited my social confidence and risk-taking tendencies compared to peers, it supported relationship-building within my cultural community and respect for social hierarchies (Oyserman et al., 2002).
In summary, dominant features of my culture such as diet, language, values and social norms have significantly shaped my development across biological, cognitive, psychological and social domains (Arnet & Jensen, 2019). A reflection on these influences provides insight into how culture impacts human growth and change across the lifespan.
Bialystok, E., Craik, F. I., & Luk, G. (2012). Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain. Trends in cognitive sciences, 16(4), 240–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2012.03.001
Fuligni, A. J., Tseng, V., & Lam, M. (1999). Attitudes toward family obligations among American adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European backgrounds. Child development, 70(4), 1030–1044. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00075
Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological review, 98(2), 224.
Misra, A., Sharma, R., Pandey, R. M., & Khanna, N. (2016). Adverse impact of poor nutrition on development of the gastrointestinal tract. Nutrition, 32(3), 260-273.
Oyserman, D., Coon, H. M., & Kemmelmeier, M. (2002). Rethinking individualism and collectivism: evaluation of theoretical assumptions and meta-analyses. Psychological bulletin, 128(1), 3.
Popkin, B. M., Adair, L. S., & Ng, S. W. (2012). Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries. Nutrition reviews, 70(1), 3-21.
Tamis-LeMonda, C. S., Way, N., Hughes, D., Yoshikawa, H., Kalman, R. K., & Niwa, E. Y. (2008). Parents’ goals for children: The dynamic coexistence of individualism and collectivism in cultures and individuals. Social development, 17(1), 183-209.
Triandis, H. C. (2001). Individualism-collectivism and personality. Journal of personality, 69(6), 907-924.
