What is the most important influence on child development | Tom Weisner | TEDxUCLA

Summary

The transcript emphasizes the importance of context in child development, asserting that the environment and cultural background significantly influence a child's life. It challenges the Western-centric view that focuses on individual child characteristics, urging a global perspective to understand diverse child-rearing practices. The speaker, an anthropologist, highlights social responsibility, collaborative learning, and the collective care of children as key aspects of child development in many cultures, contrasting with the individualistic approach of 'WEIRD' societies.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The context in which a child grows up is crucial and influences all aspects of their development.
• 👪 Western audiences often prioritize individual aspects of child development, such as attachment, nutrition, and playmates, but these are not the most important factor.
• 🏡 The family, neighborhood, community, and nation-state are integral to a child's life pathways and well-being.
• 🔍 The child's environment and cultural context shape what is considered important for their development.
• 🌏 Understanding the global context of child development can help improve the way we care for children everywhere.
• 📚 Over 90% of psychological research is conducted in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies, which may not represent the majority of the world's experiences.
• 🌱 The importance of social responsibility, collaborative learning, and social intelligence is emphasized in many non-WEIRD cultures.
• 👥 Multiple caretaking is common globally, with children often raised by a network of people within their community.
• 🏞 Children in different societies may face harsh environments, oppression, and inequality, which significantly impact their development.
• 👧👦 Gender roles and expectations diverge as children grow older, with girls' lives often taking different paths than boys'.
• 🏘 The structure of the family and societal institutions greatly affect a child's upbringing and future prospects.
• 🤝 Active participation in societally valued activities is key to a child's sense of well-being and development.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the transcript discussing child development?

The central theme of the transcript is the importance of considering the context and environment in which a child is growing up, as it significantly influences their development and well-being.

What does the speaker suggest is the most important factor in child development?

The speaker suggests that the most important factor in child development is the context in which the child is growing up, including the family, neighborhood, community, nation, and state.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of context in child development?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of context because it determines the life pathways and opportunities available to the child, and it influences how various aspects of child development, such as nutrition, security, and religious upbringing, are understood and implemented.

What is the acronym WEIRD and how does it relate to the discussion on child development?

WEIRD stands for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies. The speaker uses it to highlight that most research and expert opinions on child development come from these societies, potentially overlooking the experiences and needs of children in other cultural contexts.

What is the significance of the speaker's experience as an anthropologist in Kenya?

The speaker's experience in Kenya as an anthropologist exposed them to the effects of urban migration on children and the power of contextual and cultural differences on children's lives, which informs their perspective on the importance of context in child development.

What are some of the cultural differences the speaker mentions that can impact child development?

The speaker mentions the importance of social responsibility, collaborative learning, and social intelligence in many cultures, the practice of multiple caretaking of children, and the differences in institutions and social structures that children grow into, such as marriage and inheritance practices.

Why is it important to consider the child's community and cultural context when discussing child development?

Considering the child's community and cultural context is important because it helps to understand the values, norms, and expectations that shape the child's experiences and opportunities, which in turn influence their development and well-being.

What is the role of 'social responsibility' in child development according to the transcript?

According to the transcript, social responsibility plays a significant role in child development as it is a common value in many cultures, influencing how children learn to interact with others and contribute to their community.

How does the concept of 'multiple caretaking' differ from the Western approach to child rearing?

The concept of 'multiple caretaking' involves children being raised by various people within a community, as opposed to the Western approach where primary care is typically provided by the child's parents or immediate family.

What does the speaker suggest is a common oversight in Western societies' approach to child development?

The speaker suggests that a common oversight in Western societies' approach to child development is the tendency to focus on the individual child without considering the broader social, cultural, and environmental context that shapes their experiences and opportunities.

How can understanding child development in non-WEIRD societies benefit our approach to child rearing and education?

Understanding child development in non-WEIRD societies can benefit our approach by providing a more holistic and diverse perspective, highlighting the importance of context, social responsibility, and collaborative learning, and encouraging the consideration of different cultural values and practices in child rearing and education.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Contextual Importance in Child Development

The speaker emphasizes the significance of considering the context in which a child grows up when discussing child development. They highlight that while Western audiences often focus on individual aspects like attachment, security, and nutrition, the most crucial factor is the environment the child is in. This includes family, neighborhood, community, and nation-state, which all influence the child's life pathways. The speaker's experience as an anthropologist in Kenya and other global research projects underscores the power of cultural differences on children's lives. They argue that understanding these differences can help improve child well-being worldwide and criticize the focus on 'WEIRD' societies (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic) in most research, which may not be representative of the global population.

05:03

👫 Social Responsibility and Cultural Differences in Child Rearing

This paragraph delves into the diverse cultural practices of child rearing around the world, contrasting them with 'WEIRD' societies. The speaker mentions the importance of social responsibility, collaborative learning, and social intelligence, exemplified by children in Kenya who participate in communal activities like funeral preparations. The concept of multiple caretaking is introduced, where children are raised with the involvement of various community members, fostering a sense of security and social attachment. The speaker also addresses the harsh realities many children face, such as poverty, inequality, and oppressive environments, and how these factors can lead to divergent paths for boys and girls. The paragraph concludes by stressing the importance of understanding the child's context and the community's values to effectively improve global child well-being.

Keywords

💡Child Development

Child development refers to the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social growth that occurs from infancy through adolescence. The video emphasizes that understanding child development is crucial for improving the well-being of children. It highlights various factors such as attachment, nutrition, and cultural context that influence development.

💡Context

Context is the environment or setting in which a child grows up, including family, community, and cultural surroundings. The video argues that the most important aspect of child development is considering the context, as it greatly impacts the child's life experiences and developmental outcomes.

💡WEIRD Societies

WEIRD is an acronym for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies. The video critiques the over-representation of research from these societies, which only account for 12% of the world's population, and calls for a broader understanding that includes diverse global contexts.

💡Social Responsibility

Social responsibility involves the duty to act for the benefit of society at large. In the video, it is illustrated by the example of children in Kenya who collectively bring wood to support a grieving family, highlighting the importance of collaborative learning and community support in child development.

💡Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is an educational approach where individuals work together to achieve a common goal. The video emphasizes its prevalence in many cultures and its role in developing social intelligence and a sense of community responsibility among children.

💡Multiple Caretaking

Multiple caretaking refers to the practice of children being cared for by multiple caregivers rather than just their parents. The video explains that in many cultures, children are securely attached to a community of caregivers, which contrasts with the more isolated nuclear family structure in WEIRD societies.

💡Cultural Differences

Cultural differences encompass the diverse customs, beliefs, and practices found among various societies. The video highlights how understanding these differences is essential for improving child well-being globally, as children's development is deeply influenced by their cultural context.

💡Harsh Environments

Harsh environments refer to settings characterized by poverty, oppression, and instability. The video discusses how children in these environments face additional challenges, and their developmental outcomes are often affected by these adverse conditions.

💡Extended Families

Extended families include relatives beyond the immediate family, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The video points out that children in many parts of the world grow up in large extended families, which provide a broader support network compared to the more isolated nuclear family.

💡Autonomous Individuals

Autonomous individuals are those who are seen as independent and self-sufficient. The video critiques the tendency in WEIRD societies to view children as autonomous individuals, detached from their context, arguing that this perspective overlooks the importance of the social and cultural environment in child development.

Highlights

The importance of considering context in child development is emphasized, as it influences the child's life pathways.

Western audiences often prioritize attachment, security, nutrition, and stimulation in child development.

The speaker argues that none of the commonly mentioned aspects are the most important; context is key.

The concept of a child as an autonomous individual is challenged, advocating for a contextual understanding of children.

The impact of urban migration on children in Kenya was studied by the speaker, highlighting the power of context.

Cultural differences significantly affect children's lives, and understanding them can improve child well-being globally.

The term 'WEIRD' societies is introduced to describe the narrow focus of much child development research.

Over 90% of psychological research is conducted in WEIRD societies, limiting its global applicability.

The importance of social responsibility and collaborative learning in many non-WEIRD cultures is noted.

Multiple caretaking is common in various cultures, where children are raised by a community.

Children's lives diverge based on gender, with different expectations and opportunities for boys and girls.

In many societies, children are expected to actively participate in activities valued by their community.

The speaker calls for a broader perspective on child development that includes the child's environment and societal expectations.

The desirability of a child's characteristics is culturally determined and crucial for their well-being.

The importance of understanding the rest of the world to better care for children in one's own society.

A call to action for improving the lives of children by considering the global context and cultural diversity.

Transcripts

what is the most important thing in

cello development this is something we

should really care about because we all

want to improve the well-being in the

lives of kids so what are the most

important things in child development

I'd like you to help me to get started

so think of a child really do it like

bring up a child in your mind's eye

close your eyes think of that child you

got it

now if you could do something the most

important thing to influence the life of

that child what would you do when I've

asked this question the Western

audiences there's a whole litany of

important things provide attachment

security good nutrition provide it with

good playmates stimulation lots of

stimulation

perhaps a religious or spiritual pathway

which will be important to the child

provide a trust fund so that the child

will have resources as it grows older

some of the parents in the audience I

mention other things like it's the

toilet training just get me through the

toilet training or get my kid to sleep

or they bring the homework sheets home

and then they get lost so there are a

lot of things that we think of as

important things in child development

all all those things are important and

of course there's no one thing that

would be the only important thing none

of these in my view are the most

important thing the most important thing

you could do would be to decide or think

about where in the world is that child

growing up all the things that we think

of about the child depend on the context

in which the child and its family are

living what family what neighborhood

what community what nation state will

that child's life pathways be determined

in most of the things we think of

nutrition having a trust fund that

religious pathway is there one religious

pathway are there many what is that

religious pathway entail all of these

things depend on the child in some

particular

context most of us when we do this and

many of you probably brought up in your

mind a child sort of floating in space

now for analytic or research reasons it

might be useful to think of a childhood

is an autonomous person but that child

does not exist the only children that

exists are children in the world who

really live there and the importance of

keeping the context in mind needs to be

brought out more strongly in how we

think about kids and how we try to

improve their well-being I first saw

this one as a young anthropologist I

went to Kenya I was studying the effects

of urban migration on children there

I've subsequently done many research

projects to try to improve the lives of

kids or at least understand that in

different places around the world and in

the US and when you go to other parts of

the world or you know people from there

you see the power of contextual and

cultural differences on children's lives

by learning about the rest of the world

will understand better how to take care

of kids here and everywhere the way when

we think about kids is autonomous

individuals it's a way of thinking that

we learn and it's no accident that we've

learned that for one thing we live in a

weird society weird is an ironic but

useful Afrin ism acronym for Western

educated industrialized rich and

democratic societies now about 12% of

the world live in such a society and

most of the research that we hear about

and the experts that we hear about in

the context we're in come from other

weird societies so we have learned to

bracket the context out and just think

about the child as an individual in a

weird Society research is in the same

way mostly from weird societies in

psychology for example over 90% of the

research studies are done in weird

societies with samples from those parts

of the world

if you're an undergraduate in a college

or university in the West like some of

you here you are four thousand times

more likely to be in a research study

than a randomly selected person from the

rest of the world what if we take

account of the other 88% because by

doing that we'll see the importance of

context much more clearly fortunately

there's a wonderful rasayan TIFF ik

research literature to help us do that

they're also increasingly people that we

know who have grown up and lived in

those societies and we can go and visit

them to see the importance of this now

even where societies are diverse in

context and the rest of the world way

more so and so you can't possibly see or

understand all of the differences but

I'm going to mention a few that I have

seen myself and that offer an important

and useful contrast to weird societies

one is the importance of social

responsibility and collaborative

learning and social intelligence that

you see in so many cultures and so many

children around the world

unfortunately the parent of one of the

children you see in that slide from a

rural school in Kenya has died and after

lunch all of the children are going to

take those sticks of wood which each of

them have brought a few to school that

morning they're going to put the wood on

their heads they're going to walk to the

child's home pay their condolences and

bring the wood which is needed to

prepare for the funeral

that's coming in the next few days it's

phenomenal the amount of Prentice Shipp

adult child contextual learning that you

see around the world

another is multiple care taking of

children kids are raised by a lot of

different people care is socially

distributed children are very securely

attached but they're attached to a

social setting a family and other

members that help take care of them

they're likely to be part of a community

of care unfortunately large numbers of

children in the world live in very harsh

environments with oppression and

uncertainty and deep poverty and

inequality

and toxic environments and chaotic

family situations that often result

girls lives are likely to diverge from

boys as boys and girls get older say

after early childhood so the way girls

lives play out very in way boys lives

very but they're likely to be more

divergent than differentiated than we

find it here the institutions that

children are living in and will grow

into are different

marriage may be collectively a group

arranged inheritance may only go to boys

or may go to older children or that

trust fund may not be available if

you're a younger born child compared to

an older children are more likely to

grow up in large extended families when

are in single mother households that are

very isolated and where there's a very

harsh environment facing many children

so bring up the child again let's do it

again think of the child again where is

the child living what is the world in

which the child is living in and perhaps

the most important thing what kind of

child or person is desirable and

considered morally important in that

community that is one of the most

important things about child development

well-being is the ability of a child to

actively participate in the activities

that that society thinks is important

and desirable so to help children around

the world when we think about this topic

bring up in your mind the context the

whole world around the child and will do

much better at improving the lives of

children everywhere thanks very much

you