Cross-cultural human development is the similarities and differences in developmental process based on culture, and the behaviors or the outcomes that a person or group shows.
2. Demonstrate a familiarity with the important themes presented in this chapter including the cross-cultural perspective, ecological systems approach, developmental niche, developmental orientation, and chronological-within-topics-approach.
Cross-cultural perspective: Social scientists more aware of the contributions that cross-cultural research findings to understand human development.
Ecological systems: Urie Bronfenbrenner- divides a child's environment into 5 nested and interrelated systems. It allows us to see the connection between development of a child and their culture.
Developmental Niche: Super and Harkness- provides a framework for understanding how different aspects of a culture guide the developmental process. Focuses on the child as the main focus of the analysis but within their sociocultural setting or context.
Developmental Orientation: Most of our behavior does not take place in only one period of our lives, but it evolves and continues to develop throughout our lives. This book tries to demonstrate that fact.
Chronological-Within-Topics Approach: This book looks at selected topics where a large literature of cross-cultural research exists and discusses them chronologically from the early beginnings of life to the end.
3. Comment on the three goals set forth for the field of cross-cultural psychology.
1. Testing or extending the generalizability of existing theories and findings.
2. Exploring other cultures in order to discover variations in behavior that may not be a part of your cultural experience.
3. Integrating findings so that it generates a more universal psychology applicable to a wider range or cultural settings and societies.
Based upon these goals, it makes me quite interested in the field of cross-cultural psychology. It makes me look forward to learning new topics in the class, and I have always been interested in different cultures. I'm hoping to learn a lot and use it later on in life, maybe as a career.
4. Why do the authors emphasize a practical application approach to the subject?
So that it's easier for us as students to relate to the material being presented to us. It allows us to think about our lives and experiences within the context of cross-culture or the subject being presented to us.