[SOLVED] The Role of Culture in Cognitive Development

This assignment delves into the relationship between culture and cognitive development, highlighting the need to consider cultural influences on children's learning and development. It discusses how Piaget's theory, while groundbreaking, has been criticized for its lack of attention to cultural differences in cognitive development.

Child development for
educators

Table of Contents
Topic 1: Implication of reduced physical activity on children........................................................1
Topic 2: Application of Piaget and Vygotsky as per the role of learner and teacher in learning
process.............................................................................................................................................2
Topic 3: Criticism of Piaget theory and its implication on learning behaviour of child.................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

Topic 1: Implication of reduced physical activity on children
Physical activity plays in important role in in promoting growth and development of a
child. There are multiple benefits of the same where a child is able to get benefits in the form of
mental physical and psychosocial health contributing to their learning (Kohl III and Cook, 2013).
Programming adequate amount of physical activity in a child makes sure that he /she is able to
develop psychosocial outcomes in the form of goal orientation, self-concept, social behaviour
etc. These activities also determine current and future aspect of physical activity in a child as
well. The program designed for a child must be able to align to predictable developmental
changes in the form of exercise of the child, generation of motor skills capacity and other related
practices in which they can directly or indirectly engage (Saxe, 2015). However, the research
stated that physical activity is able to develop short term benefits with respect to mental and
cognitive health of a child. Hence, in that case, it is important to have physical activity on daily
basis so that it does not barricade the overall growth of a child. The behaviour and trait hold by a
child toys helps in determining the growth and development and mental and physical health held
by the him / her in near future. Physical activity also plays a vital role in preventing and
decreasing the state of anxiety and depression in children. It also helps in improving their mood
and other state of well being as well. Frequent episodes of physical activity results in giving
substantial impact on overall health of a child.
Research have stated that the main reason of decline in physical activity is availability of
advanced technology in the form of laptops, mobile phones, play stations, etc. Children tend to
indulge more in them which ultimately reduces their interest in sports or walk. Better parenting
can help in changing their behavioural patterns based on which they tend to choose playing
sports rather than involving themselves in TV or any other electronic device (Brown and
Desforges, 2013).
Research have stated that lesser involvement of a child in physical activities leads to
various health issue, inclusive of higher risk to paediatric obesity and decrease flexibility of
muscular strength and cardiorespiratory capacity. Main role is played by school in bringing
children to perform certain physical activity. The environment of school must provide promising
environment in order to increase physical activity of children (Light, 2017). Recess is an
important and more recreational time where children can play in the playground, games,
activities and staff training may also act as an add on to the activities where each child must be
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given ample of opportunities to play or indulge in any other physical activity. Properly training
the staff and motivating children for it can help in generating better outcomes. Encouraging
students can helping making them learns various types of sports as well that can keep them fit. It
is result in better mental and cognitive development of a child.
Topic 2: Application of Piaget and Vygotsky as per the role of learner and
teacher in learning process.
Piaget’s theory is related to cognitive development where it helps in addressing that how
a child is able to frame a mental model. The theory basically deals in the nature of knowledge
itself and how the same is grabbed, constructed and used by the human (Semmar and Al-Thani,
2015). This theory is also known as development stage theory. The researcher believed that a
child is able to draw verdict regarding the world by comparing what he /she actually know and
what is observed. Based upon the experience, the idea to a particular thing is adjusted by him /
her. Vygotsky’ theory have high dependence of social interactions and based on which a child is
able to develop his / her cognition. In such cases, community plays an important role in defining
and designing meaning to a subject matter as perception of people really matters to a child while
framing any opinion. Hence, it can be stated that there is an adequate difference in Piaget’s
theory and Vygotsky’ theory. Since the former one emphasizes on experiences and the later one
shows high dependence on interaction while framing any kind of opinion related to subject
matter (Baltes, Reese and Nesselroade, 2014).
Cognition have direct relation to ability to think and analyse various aspect and then
reach to a specific conclusion. Constructive approach is generally used by the teachers in the
classroom so as to develop perspectives of people. Both types of learning theories, that are,
Piaget and Vygotsky are related to constructive one. However, as per the belief od Piaget, the
knowledge of a child can be restructured based upon his / her experience and can be moulded to
an effective one. Hence, the environment at kindergarten must be moulded in such a manner
where, better experience of learning can be provided to children that can further assist in
developing better personality. Piaget also believed that children’s thinking in kindergarten is at
pre-operational state where they have the ability to assess another individual’s point of view and
capability to attribute life (Burton, 2012). As children interact with each other in the class, tend
to acquire new language and other aspects in the school help in their overall development of
cognition. Vygotsky, on the other hand stated with respect to learning being a active and socially
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independent process of development. In his belief, children regulate their own problem solving
activities and least role is played by other people in framing any kind of opinion regarding a
particular aspect. Teacher is able to wove various concepts in the mind of a child rather than
child learn from his peers or any kind of specific environment surrounding him / her. Blocks are
the common items that are generally found in the kindergarten classroom. Interacting with
children through blocks generally helps in providing them opportunity to sort, imagine and
construct which ultimately helps in developing cognitive skills of a child (Heft, 2013).
Topic 3: Criticism of Piaget theory and its implication on learning behaviour
of child
The theory of Piaget has strong relationship with cognitive development. The author has
been able to argue regarding children who are described as solo thinkers from their infancy to
pre-school. Based upon their experience, they tend to frame their own views and opinion
regarding social, cultural and physical society (Cobern, 2012). However, the critique is that, the
society can easily be able to mould the thinking of a child. Since, it is the state where a child is
not able to achieve adequate amount of experience and hence have not reached to genuine
intellectual equilibrium, it is easy to frame and mould the mind of a child.
Due to difference in the culture hold by various children in the class, one is able to
analyse the culture which are present at adequate proximal to him. Piaget generally concentrated
on universal stages of cognitive development and maturation in biological manner, he failed to
provide adequate amount of statements and knowledge regarding impact of social setting and
cognitive development on overall development and learning of a child. Carful observation made
by a child help in framing his / her cognition. It helps in defining that whether adequate amount
of knowledge has been collected by an individual or not (Oesterdiekhoff, 2013). However, the
same, that is relation of theory to various cultures was not framed by Piaget. Hence, adequate
amount of emphasis has not been provided by the author on cultural aspect of theory.
It can be analysed that, culture plays an important role in developing and framing aspect
of children based upon experiences and interactions that takes place in the classroom. Hence, it
consideration is required to be made that what kind of learning is actually grabbed by the child.
In order to adopt Piagetian tasks, toys in the form of dolls and sheep are generally used, a
landscape model is shown to children, so as to make their understanding regarding physical
objects rather more impactful. However, the same is taught to each and every child but the
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knowledge level may certainly differ. The rate of adaptation from cognitive development may
differ as per different domains to which a child actually belongs. Cross culture plays a important
role in brining cognitive developmental changes in a child. Hence, ignoring this fact could lead
to bring substantial difference in overall difference from cognitive development being framed by
the researcher (Ellis and Gauvain, 2013).
The rate of learning in various domains of culture varies to a great deal Moreover, the
rate and pace of learning new things may also different based upon specific origin of child that is
the environment that is gathered by on one may not be introduced to the other. It creates
adequate amount of different in learning behaviour and learning patterns.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baltes, P. B., Reese, H. W. and Nesselroade, J. R., 2014. Life-span developmental psychology:
Introduction to research methods. Psychology Press.
Brown, G. and Desforges, C., 2013. Piaget's theory. Routledge.
Burton, L. ed., 2012. Learning mathematics: From hierarchies to networks. Routledge.
Cobern, W. W., 2012. Contextual constructivism: The impact of culture on the learning and
teaching of science. In The practice of constructivism in science education (pp. 67-86).
Routledge.
Ellis, S. and Gauvain, M., 2013. Social and cultural influences on children’s collaborative
interactions. Children’s development within social context. 2. pp.155-180.
Heft, H., 2013. Environment, cognition, and culture: Reconsidering the cognitive map. Journal
of Environmental Psychology. 33. pp.14-25.
Kohl III, H. W. and Cook, H. D., 2013. Physical activity and physical education: Relationship to
growth, development, and health.
Light, P., 2017. Social interaction and cognitive development: a review of post-Piagetian
research. In Developing thinking(pp. 67-88). Routledge.
Oesterdiekhoff, G. W., 2013. Relevance of Piagetian cross-cultural psychology to the humanities
and social sciences. The American journal of psychology. 126(4). pp.477-492.
Saxe, G. B., 2015. Culture and cognitive development: Studies in mathematical understanding.
Psychology Press.
Semmar, Y. and Al-Thani, T., 2015. Piagetian and Vygotskian approaches to cognitive
development in the kindergarten classroom. Journal of Educational and Developmental
Psychology. 5(2). p.1.
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