Cognitive development in children parallels with brain development. By early childhood (2 to 4 years of age), children begin to recognize, recall and use information in a context. The child’s experience with the immediate environment will continue to prune his/her cognitive process. Playing with peers, interacting with adults and certain inherent qualities of the child, will determine the rate of cognitive development. As cognition develops, the child is able to understand stories that are told and will begin to understand certain complex explanation. They also begin to learn languages and try applying it in different situations. (Keels 381-397)
The development of vocabulary takes place through exposure to the words and reinforcement. The child learns the words by repeatedly hearing them and they use their cognitive ability to analyze and construct rules and structures for applying these words. The culture of the society will influence the way in which cognition is structured. For example, it teaches them the perspective in which the rules of language can be applied. (Keels 381-397)
The ability to solve problems and work hands on in a situation, can be seen in kindergarten children. They can self-help with feeding, hygiene and grooming. With time, this ability begins to develop. As children mature and reach middle school, they are able to use logic and order in solving problems. They can solve riddles, puzzles and mysteries that were once difficult to solve in early childhood. (Haukoos and Beauvais 77-82)
One area where I can apply the influence of environment and culture on cognitive development are my social skills. Cognitive development is connected to social skills. A child’s social skills develop through interaction with others in the culture. There are instances, where the social skills of people from a different culture has left me puzzled. While talking more is a positive social skill in American culture, talking less or being silent is a positive social skill in many Asian countries.
The culture of a state can influence the transition of cognitive skills during different phases of childhood (Haukoos and Beauvais 77-82). Culture can also cause developmental delays in the child. Thus, norms for accessing cognitive development in children, should be set for a specific culture. A universal standard may not work well in all cultures (Maynard and Greenfield 489-510). Hawaii, in U.S has a high native population and could be an ideal ground to study how modernization has affected the cognitive development of children from a native community. According to social psychologist, interaction with modern institutions are important for the development of a modern man (Maynard and Greenfield 489-510). In addition, poverty rates are high in Hawaii, and this can affect child’s cognitive development. The head start program initiated by the federal government, provides opportunity for disadvantaged children to develop their cognitive and non-cognitive skills, as these skills will determine their success as adults. The children from poorer communities, very often lack the necessary parental and environmental motivation required for proper development of cognitive and interpersonal skills. Lack of nutrition’s and high prevalence of health problems in these children, also aggravate this problem. Head start program will help in creating the right environment that is required for early cognitive development. Such programs that aim to encourage the development of cognitive function in children from disadvantaged community will be beneficial to States like Hawaii.
Work cited
Haukoos, Gerry D. and Archie B. Beauvais. "Creating Positive Cultural Images: Thoughts for Teaching About American Indians". Childhood Education 73.2 (1996): 77-82. Web.
Keels, Micere. "Ethnic Group Differences in Early Head Start Parents’ Parenting Beliefs and Practices and Links to Children's Early Cognitive Development". Early Childhood Research Quarterly 24.4 (2009): 381-397. Web.
Maynard, Ashley E. and Patricia M. Greenfield. "Implicit Cognitive Development in Cultural Tools and Children: Lessons from Maya Mexico". Cognitive Development 18.4 (2003): 489-510. Web. 21 July 2016.
