Culture, Executive Function, and Social Understanding

Lewis, Charlie and Koyasu, Masuo and Oh, Seungmi and Ogawa, Ayako and Short, Benjamin and Huang, Zhao (2009) Culture, Executive Function, and Social Understanding. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 123. pp. 69-85. ISSN 1534-8687

Abstract

Much of the evidence from the West has shown links between children's developing self-control (executive function), their social experiences, and their social understanding (Carpendale & Lewis, 2006, chapters 5 and 6), across a range of cultures including China. This chapter describes four studies conducted in three Oriental cultures, suggesting that the relationships among social interaction, executive function, and social understanding are different in these cultures, implying that social and executive skills are underpinned by key cultural processes. (C) Wiley Periodicals, Inc.