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Creation across Culture: Children's Tool Innovation Is Influenced by Cultural and Developmental Factors

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Title: Creation across Culture: Children's Tool Innovation Is Influenced by Cultural and Developmental Factors
Language: English
Authors: Neldner, Karri (ORCID 0000-0002-8237-5679), Redshaw, Jonathan, Murphy, Sean, Tomaselli, Keyan, Davis, Jacqueline, Dixson, Barnaby, Nielsen, Mark
Source: Developmental Psychology. Apr 2019 55(4):877-889.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2019
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Cultural Differences, Addition, Subtraction, Innovation, Age Differences, Cultural Influences, Cognitive Development, Children, Gender Differences, Social Influences
Geographic Terms: South Africa, Australia, Vanuatu
DOI: 10.1037/dev0000672
ISSN: 0012-1649
Abstract: Prior research suggests that human children lack an aptitude for tool innovation. However, children's tool making must be explored across a broader range of tasks and across diverse cultural contexts before we can conclude that they are genuinely poor tool innovators. To this end, we investigated children's ability to independently construct 3 new tools using distinct actions: adding, subtracting, and reshaping. We tested 422 children across a broad age range from 5 geographic locations across South Africa (N = 126), Vanuatu (N = 190), and Australia (N = 106), which varied in their levels of exposure to Westernized culture. Children were shown a horizontal, transparent tube that had a sticker in its middle. Children were sequentially given each incomplete tool, which when accurately constructed could be used to push the sticker out of the tube. As predicted, older children were better at performing the innovation tasks than younger children across all cultures and innovation actions. We also found evidence for cultural variation: While all non-Western groups performed similarly, the Western group of children innovated at higher rates. However, children who did not innovate often adopted alternate methods when using the tools that also led to success. This suggests that children's innovation levels are influenced by the cultural environment, and highlights the flexibility inherent in human children's tool use.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2019
Accession Number: EJ1209422
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Creation across Culture: Children's Tool Innovation Is Influenced by Cultural and Developmental Factors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Neldner%2C+Karri%22">Neldner, Karri</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8237-5679">0000-0002-8237-5679</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Redshaw%2C+Jonathan%22">Redshaw, Jonathan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Murphy%2C+Sean%22">Murphy, Sean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tomaselli%2C+Keyan%22">Tomaselli, Keyan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Davis%2C+Jacqueline%22">Davis, Jacqueline</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dixson%2C+Barnaby%22">Dixson, Barnaby</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nielsen%2C+Mark%22">Nielsen, Mark</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. Apr 2019 55(4):877-889.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: 13
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Differences%22">Cultural Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Addition%22">Addition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Subtraction%22">Subtraction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Innovation%22">Innovation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Influences%22">Cultural Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Development%22">Cognitive Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Influences%22">Social Influences</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Africa%22">South Africa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vanuatu%22">Vanuatu</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/dev0000672
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  Data: 0012-1649
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Prior research suggests that human children lack an aptitude for tool innovation. However, children's tool making must be explored across a broader range of tasks and across diverse cultural contexts before we can conclude that they are genuinely poor tool innovators. To this end, we investigated children's ability to independently construct 3 new tools using distinct actions: adding, subtracting, and reshaping. We tested 422 children across a broad age range from 5 geographic locations across South Africa (N = 126), Vanuatu (N = 190), and Australia (N = 106), which varied in their levels of exposure to Westernized culture. Children were shown a horizontal, transparent tube that had a sticker in its middle. Children were sequentially given each incomplete tool, which when accurately constructed could be used to push the sticker out of the tube. As predicted, older children were better at performing the innovation tasks than younger children across all cultures and innovation actions. We also found evidence for cultural variation: While all non-Western groups performed similarly, the Western group of children innovated at higher rates. However, children who did not innovate often adopted alternate methods when using the tools that also led to success. This suggests that children's innovation levels are influenced by the cultural environment, and highlights the flexibility inherent in human children's tool use.
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  Data: 2019
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  Data: EJ1209422
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        Value: 10.1037/dev0000672
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      – SubjectFull: Addition
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      – SubjectFull: Innovation
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