Cultural Influences of Social Cognition and Behavior Essay Example

life it shows direct relationship from to our values, profession to the simplest task. (Keller, 2007) In a more personal note, my affiliation to cultural group had affected my thought and behavior. I am an American with a Middle Eastern background. Vygotsky (1987) had reiterated adult supervision and interaction in the early years had a great influence on a child’s development.

The Middle Eastern culture gives a strong value on family. It considered that as a dominant social institution. Commonly, it is patriarchal and hierarchical. Read also about the role of cognition in learningEach member has a specific role and responsibility for the family. Each member is equally can bring honor or shame to the entire family. This could clash with the dominant culture of independency in the American culture. Parental approval and consent for decisions is required for most aspect of life. The action of one member is considered as a reflection of the group.

Thus, there are stereotypical roles and characteristics attributed for each member. Bandura in his study emphasized that we learn behavior through observation and feedback.Individuals we interact with serve as live model demonstrating or acting out a behavior (Garton, 2004). This for me has its advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages I supposed it had made it difficult to make personal decisions, particularly in the areas of education and profession.

At times, it may even involve as personal as relationships. On the other hand, the main advantage of this set-up is the familial support one can always fall back on. In summary, culture has a significant effect on a person’s behavior and

development. We move, act and think in context of what is acceptable of our culture.