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WEIRD walking: cross-cultural research on motor development
Lana B Karasik1, Karen E Adolph, Catherine S Tamis-Lemonda
1National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD 20892-7971, USA. lana.karasik@nih.gov
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|June 16, 2010
Summary
Motor development research often assumes universal patterns, but cross-cultural studies reveal significant diversity in how motor skills are acquired across different populations.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Traditional motor development research often relies on samples from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies.
- This reliance can lead to assumptions of universality in developmental trajectories, overlooking cultural influences.
- Behavioral science domains, including motor development, face challenges from cultural variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of cultural diversity on motor skill acquisition.
- To challenge the assumption of universality in motor development.
- To highlight motor development as a critical area for understanding cultural influences on behavior.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing cross-cultural research on motor development.
- Comparative analysis of motor skill acquisition across diverse cultural groups.
- Examination of theoretical frameworks in behavioral science concerning cultural specificity.
Main Results:
- Cross-cultural research demonstrates extraordinary diversity in normal motor skill acquisition.
- Motor development patterns are not universally consistent across different societies.
- Cultural contexts significantly shape the pathways of motor development.
Conclusions:
- Motor development is a key domain illustrating how cultural factors challenge universal behavioral science theories.
- Recognizing cultural diversity is essential for a comprehensive understanding of human development.
- Future research should prioritize cross-cultural perspectives in studying motor development.
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