The cultures that we live in shape and affect our understanding of events. Research on adults suggests that it does. But a recent study suggests that this influence can be seen as early as infancy.
Researchers at the Northwestern University, Illinois, US, conducted a study on cultural influences on infants from the US and China. They reviewed their attention to objects and change in active scenes.
What the study found
During the experiment, the infants were shown repeated scenes like a girl petting a dog, a girl petting a pillow and a girl kissing a dog, among others.
Here’s what they found:
- Infants from China preferred scenes featuring a new action, since adults from the country focused relatively more on events
- Infants from the US preferred scenes featuring a new object, since adults from the country focused relatively more on objects
In a release by the university, the study’s lead author Sandra Waxman, the Louis W. Menk Chair in Psychology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern, says, “There is already reason to suspect that infants’ attention to objects and events in dynamic scenes might already be influenced by cultural-specific patterns of attention. We know, for example, that infants pay attention carefully to the actions of their parents and to others close to them.”
Dr Waxman adds that current study shows that infants from the US and China have a great deal in common while understanding dynamic scenes.
Tips for raising culturally-aware children
This research once again highlights how culture influences our upbringing, and the best way to raise culturally-aware children is to start from the very beginning. Here are a few things you can try:
- Give them opportunities to be around other children: Infants are fearless and that gives them the most opportunity to mingle with kids from other cultures. Begin by telling them that they will meet people who dress differently, talk in a different language and even eat different food.
- Celebrate festivals of all cultures: If you celebrate Diwali, you should also celebrate Christmas and Eid, and encourage your kids to participate. Share mythological or historic tales for them to understand why each festival is celebrated a certain way. You'll be amazed at how much infants can actually understand.
- Encourage them to ask questions: As you narrate stories to them or celebrate different religious festivals, encourage them to ask questions. Since infants and toddlers experience everything for the first time, they would have many things to ask you.
Raising culturally-aware kids is a boon to only the society but it also encourages positive self-esteem in them, develops responsibility towards the society and makes them more considerate towards others.
Read: 7 healthy habits of a happy family
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