Cultural background is one of the essential factors which gives children a sense of ethnicity. Every culture has its morals and values. When a child is born, cultural influences affect their beliefs, food choices, language, artistic expression, and religion.
Cultural influences also affect the child’s development emotionally, socially, physically, and linguistically. Solid cultural backgrounds contribute to developing strong mindsets. Conversely, cultural differences in a child’s surroundings hinder his learning.
This article discusses how culture influences the mental development of children and hence makes up their mindset.
The importance of cultural influence in childhood brain development
Early childhood is the primary stage in which children perceive and observe their surroundings and cultural preferences. Therefore, childhood cultural environment determines how your child will respond in the future and your preferences.
According to a review published by CDC, although the brain continues to develop and perceive new things while aging, the first eight years of childhood are critical in designing and building the foundation of future learning. Three main environmental factors affecting a developing child are mentioned below.
- Classical conditioning
- Operant conditioning
- Observational learning
Therefore, surroundings and practices followed by other people influence children, whether negatively or positively. It is apparent positive surroundings influence positive brain development.
Two types of cultural influences on a child’s mental- development
Cultural influences affect a child’s cognitive development, as discussed above. We observe our surroundings and learn new things when we are born. Cultural influence affects how a child develops language, builds values and belief systems, and perceives other factors.
Children perceive cultural influences differently according to their understanding capability. Therefore, society plays a vital role in showing different cultures which impact a child’s mental development. Ways by which they get cultural influence are mentioned below.
- Parental influences on child development
Parents are the first individuals from who a child observes and learns things. A review published in 2019 shows that parents raise their children according to the social and cultural values followed in their surroundings.
Parents set boundaries and discipline for children according to those values to make their children able to strive in the society they are living in. If the home environment and societal culture clash, problems can occur.
- Media influences on child development
Media nowadays plays a significant role in developing the mindset of today’s children. In today’s era, most young people focus more on media like TV shows, movies, social media, and video games. Culture and other things promoted on these platforms affect the mental perception of children.
Take away home
Cultural influences play a significant role in shaping children’s behavior towards various things. Cultural influences contribute to making up the beliefs of children while growing up. A culture can have positive or negative aspects in it. Still, if an individual does not accept normalized cultural practices around him, he will be declared odd in his society.
Parents must incorporate positive and healthy cultural practices in their children for positive mental development.