How culture and tradition mould us in childhood
Early childhood is when a child is most influenced by culture and tradition. From birth to early childhood, this critical period is the time in which children retain the most information, according to researchers Matt Puderbaugh and Prabhu Emmady.In a 2023 study, Puderbaugh and Emmady found that this critical period in children's development relates to brain plasticity. “Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is a process that involves adaptive structural and functional changes to the brain.” This means that the brains of young children are more susceptible to new information. The brain restructures itself and its processes to adapt to changes, such as cultural influences.
According to researchers Jean-Louis Gariépy, Donald Bailey Jr and Steven Holochwost in a 2020 study on critical periods, “the early childhood years are foundational; thus, what is learnt during these years provides the basis for, and can facilitate, all future learning”. The critical period is the most important time for young children to learn about culture - as brain plasticity decreases, the ability to learn new information also wanes.
Individualist and collectivist cultures
Two cultural models that can be prominently seen throughout the world are individualism and collectivism. A study from 2020 titled 'Individualism vs Collectivism' found that people who grew up in predominantly individualist cultures tend to place more value on independence and assertiveness, while collectivist cultures are more focused on collaboration and community need.
According to an article published by Maryville University, these cultural beliefs are imparted during early childhood by parents. Individualist attitudes are most common in North American and Western European countries, while collectivist ideals are most often seen in South American, Asian and African countries.
One way these differences manifest is in the way children tell stories. The same article explains that “children who communicate based on an individualistic cultural model will often tell long, self-focused stories with themes of autonomy and personal preference. Conversely, children who communicate based on a collectivist cultural model will often tell brief, other-oriented stories with themes of authority and interrelationships".
African play
“Traditional African play, when properly deployed, could enhance children's physical, mental, social and emotional development.” These are the findings of a study by Taiwo Ogunyemi and Elizabeth Henning from the South African Journal of Education.
African play - which includes rhymes, poetry, stories, wrestling, music and dancing - can play a role in promoting education in young children by introducing them to positive traditions from an early age. This can promote creativity and create a strong cultural identity, according to Ogunyemi and Henning.