ABSTRACT
Social scientists have investigated and reported studies of human development for decades. Though all humans share the same biological and maturational sequences, as described by Gesell, Freud, Piaget, Erikson, and others, cultural variations exist which have an impact upon the collective behavior of a society and that of individuals within society. Cross-cultural normative studies permit the comparison of peoples growing up under different circumstances, conditions, and cultural variations; e.g., Mead, Benedict, Malinowski, etc. Many cross-cultural studies of human development have centered on cognitive growth, generating numerous models and definitions. It is not the intent of this paper to summarize or examine all the conceptualized dimensions of cognitive styles. Instead, it looks at the cultural influences which may affect the cognitive skills of Samoan children in the U.S. mainland schools.
