Social Cultural Approaches To Cognitive Development (Essay Sample)

Social -cultural approaches to cognitive development
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Subject: Human Cognitive Development
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Level: MASTERS
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Social -cultural approaches to cognitive development
Cognitive development is described to be the study of how psychological processes in young people and children develop. It also gives a study of how they become effective and efficient in understanding their mental processes and the world. This study is done due to changes in children especially in thinking as they develop. Therefore, this essay is aimed at discussing what social-cultural theories to cognitive development develops, their focus, main factors promoting this development and roles of teachers and parents to the development.
Socio-cultural approach to cognitive development is a theory developed by Vygotsky and Piaget even though each had different views (Sigelman & Rider, 2003). Vygotsky argued, “Learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organized, specifically human psychological function” (Vygotsky, 1978). According to Vygotsky, this theory develops cultural values whose learning requires specific cognitive abilities. He placed more emphasis on how culture affects cognitive development making his view more constructive than Piaget’s does. Therefore, cognitive development changes across various cultures as their norms affect opportunities of children to learn.
Cognitive development develops culture in children because it is based on transmission of knowledge. In this case, they learn and use the knowledge that comes from the culture they are part of. One important way in which knowledge is transmitted is from other individuals such as their parents, peers, and teachers. Therefore, their level of development is measured in terms of the achievement they get through assistance and what they can do on their own hence developing culture. Culture shapes cognitive development as it influences self-aspects that change lifestyles and views about the world by people.
The focus of these theories of cognitive development is to study perception and memories of children. It also focuses on where they are applied in leaning i.e. education and a manner in which a child applies them in life. In expansion, factors such as social and cultural, biological (genetics) and environmental that promote cognitive development are a discussion through these theories.
There are important cultural, social, environmental, and biological factors that promote cognitive development. Cultural and social factors promote moral development in children as parents encourage them in developing their thinking and moral values. Moreover, social interaction with their parents and other mature people is important in developing moral values. For instance, in Northern Ireland, abortion moral disagreement during their developing raises arguments and are given reasons as to why abortion is morally wrong (Oakley, 2004).
School is one of the social and cultural factors as it influences many aspects in this development. Children schooling teaches them strategies of problem solving and rules in teaching that help them apply and diversify different information. In addition, informal curricula in schools teach children social skills that are culturally valued to help them become admirable citizens. Consequently, there are various schools that are more efficient than others in coming up with strategies that produce positive results such as: enthusiasm attitudes about learning, low absenteeism, desirable social behaviors, occupational skills, and academic achievement (Shaffer, 2012).
Biological factors also promote cognitive development and they may be controlled or not. These factors affect mental organs’ development and they include; aspects of heredity whereby intelligence is inherited, nutrition as intake of proteins in pregnant women is important in developing brain of children, and lastly sensory organs that easily enable children in recognizing people and things around them. In this case, those with sensory organs disabilities slowly develop in their cognitive abilities as compared to normal children.
Computer learning is among the social factor that promotes cognitive development in children because the use of computers benefits them socially and intellectually. Computers usually promote children’s social interactions with their peers; in the hands of their knowledgeable teachers, academic simulations and games that provoke thought are not presented to them. This is because culture values among children need to be maintained hence children are restricted in accessing bad influences on the internet especially sexual predators (Shaffer, 2012).
Environmental factors promote cognitive development externally and controlling them is easy. These include economic factors whereby children from financially stable families have an opportunity of accessing more learning. In this case, their parents interact and teach t...