Cultural Influences on Child Development

This reflective essay examines the impact of culture on child development. The author analyzes various theories from psychologists like Piaget, Mead, Kohlberg, and Bowlby, highlighting how cultural perspectives influence cognitive development and personality formation. The essay further discusses the challenges and complexities arising in modern, multicultural societies due to these differing cultural norms and their effects on children's mental well-being.

Running head: REFLECTION
Reflection
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1
REFLECTION
Part 2
This is a reflective writing where I will be presenting my own opinion on the issue
and why it is important to consider while discussing about the child development. The topic I
selected for the paper is the issues that arise from the way different culture perceives
childhood and the process the children undergoes in their developmental phases. I think
culture is the primary determinant of personality development and children upbringing as it
considerably varies from one another. Various factors played important role in the selection
of the issue.
Primarily, as I mentioned earlier, the culture significantly contributes in the process of
child development. As evidenced in the essay, various psychologists over time took different
approach in describing how culture determines the psychological development in human
being from the very childhood. Scholars like Jean Piaget, Margaret Mead, Kohlberg and Jean
Bowlby proposed various process of cognitive development. According to their opinion, the
human, regardless of culture undergoes these stages of development. Studying their theories
of development enriched my knowledge of how human being develops their cognition from
the early stages of life. Moreover, these theories also helped me in understanding the
psychological differences in individuals belonging from different culture.
The work of Vygotsky and Bornstein on the other helped me in understanding how
exactly the adult influence helps in the cognitive development of the children. Their work
states that the children learn through observing the adults around them. In addition, the child-
rearing practice also varies among cultures that result into formation of different personality.
Though, personality is an individual phenomenon, Bornstein’s work reflects that particular
personality dominates particular culture. This in turn creates both problem and advantages in
the modern mixed cultural society.

2
REFLECTION
Hence, the first part of the essay helped me understanding how exactly culture
influences the cognitive development of children and ensures the mental well-being. This
further helped me in identifying the issues related to child rearing and cognitive development
of children in different society. The modern cross cultural societies are facing complication in
every level due to this cultural differences starting from school level to organisational level.
The leaders now have to understand the effect of cultural outcomes in the personalities to
address the issues arise in the workplace. Moreover, the globalisation is now having diverse
effect on these cultural developments of children. The children in cross cultural societies are
now exposed to a multiple cultural norms that are confusing the children. This is resulting
into loss of identity among the children entering the adolescent. It finally is resulting into
significant deterioration of the mental well-being of the children.
Hence, I selected this particular issue of cultural contribution in child development to
understand how children in different culture grow and what contribution does the culture
makes in the process. This will help me understand the individual belonging form different
cultural background to handle each separately. Moreover, this study will help me address the
current issues in the child development due to the globalisation and acculturation and the
effect on the children.