28th International Congress of Psychology August 8 ... - U-netSURF

continuity between thinking in laboratory and action in real life. Furthermore, the author argues
that by examining the intersection of cultural psychology and applied psychology, we are not just
extending the scopes of our cross-cultural inquires, but also reveal new insights about how human
psyche really function in real life.
3060 INVITED SYMPOSIUM
Universality and cultural variability in conceptual development: The case of naive biology
Convener and Chair: K. Inagaki, Japan
Co-convener: G. Solomon, USA
3060.1 Folkbiology and social identity, G. Solomon, National Science Foundation, Arlington,
VA, USA
Cognitive psychologists and cultural anthropologists explored whether reasoning about social
identity and the biological inheritance of properties arises due to innate support or whether it is
culturally constructed. Results of studies with the Vezo of Madagascar, compared to those
conducted with North Americans, suggest that there are universals in adult reasoning about birth,
but relativity in whether social identity need be tied to birth. By contrast, results with children
suggest a predisposition to tie the acquisition of social identity to birth, but undermine claims of an
innately-driven understanding of the biological inheritance of properties. A developmental account
is discussed.
3060.2 The development of folkbiology: A cross-cultural view, N. Ross 1 , D.L. Medin 2 , S.
Waxman 2 , S. Atran 3 , 1 Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; 2 Northwestern University,
USA; 3 University of Michigan, USA
This paper presents ongoing research among children and adults of several cultures and regions
within and outside the USA. The research targets effects of culture and experiential differences
that might affect the development of folkbiological knowledge in children and adults. In particular
we are looking at: (1) European-American children in the USA, both in an urban/suburban and
rural setting; (2) Native American Children in rural Wisconsin; (3) Maya children in Yucatan,
Mexico. The patterning of universal and variable biological reasoning provides constraints on
theories of children’s biology. Notably, the inclusion of adult data calls into question the
assumption that the end state of development is either universal or can be equated with science.
3060.3 Variations in young children's naive biology produced by animal-raising experiences, K.
Inagaki 1 , G. Hatano 2 , 1 Chiba University, Chiba-shi, Japan; 2 University of the Air, Japan
Naive biology is acquired and enriched through participation in practices dealing with animals and
plants as well as the human body and health. Therefore, variations in naive biology can be
attributed to what practices are arranged by culture and which of them children participate in.
Raising pet animals is considered one of such practices, influential at least in our industrialized
society. Repeated participation in animal-raising activities may produce different versions of naive
biology from the standard, human-centered one. In this presentation we will demonstrate cognitive
consequences, i.e., products of culture-rooted expertise, of animal-raising activities at home
among young children.
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