How a Person's Background Influences Cognitive Processes and Perceptions of the World
What makes individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds perceive and interpret events in varied ways? Perception is the mental process of making sense of sensory data to comprehend and engage with one's physical surroundings, while cognitive processes include mental operations such as learning, analysis, and memory. Gaining an appreciation for these effects can help one better understand the variety of human thought and perception. People’s upbringing, formal education, and life experiences are critical in shaping who they become.
Culture and Cultural Influences
Culture, as exemplified in this study, signifies a people's common worldview, which includes their beliefs, values, aspirations, and ways of doing things. By outlining what is acceptable and undesirable, cultural norms and values influence how people think and view the world (Heyes et al., 2020). For instance, different civilizations have vastly diverse views on the passage of time. Being on time is highly prized and regarded as an indication of professionalism in certain societies. In other cultures, people tend to be less serious about keeping to strict schedules. The relative importance of individuality and collectivism is another cultural factor affecting how people think and perceive. The importance of one's autonomy and capacity to fend for oneself is paramount in individualistic societies. The idea is to let people be themselves and think for themselves. Conversely, collectivist societies emphasize mutual support and cooperation among group members. People from these cultures are more prone to conform to group standards and consider how their actions will affect the team.
The Role of Formal and Informal Education
Both formal and informal learning environments have significant impacts on how people's brains develop and how they perceive the world. How people learn to think critically and solve problems and their choices in certain situations can vary significantly between educational institutions (Hafri & Firestone, 2021). For example, unlike certain educational systems that teach critical thinking and problem-solving, others underscore memorization and rote learning. Some approaches stress pupils' need to develop unique strategies for finding solutions, while others are only concerned with the correct answer. The ability to access information also plays a role in shaping perception. The media and textbooks have a powerful impact on how people see the world. Insights gained from multiple sources can widen or deepen one's world perception. The proliferation of online resources and the ease of worldwide communication have greatly increased people's access to many perspectives and experiences.
Experiences
People’s experiences are essential components in molding their perception and cognitive growth. For example, how parents approach raising their children can significantly influence their cognitive development and worldview. Exposure to varied places and occurrences boosts the ability to think creatively and adapt to new conditions (Hafri & Firestone, 2021). Moving to a new place, having a successful or unsuccessful career, or going through a major life change are life events and milestones that can significantly alter one's perspective. By exposing people to new ideas and points of view, interactions with diverse groups of people, such as peers and professional networks, aid in cognitive development. Setbacks train people to bounce back and solve problems, while triumphs boost their self-esteem and confidence. Distinct cultural perspectives on mental health illustrate how one's environment shapes perceptions (Barrett, 2020). For example, certain cultures are secretive and stigmatize mental health problems since they view them as madness, while others view them as typical disorders requiring therapeutic intervention. Someone with more life experiences may have a nifty grasp of diverse cultures and ways of life than another with fewer experiences.
Conclusion
Everything from a person's upbringing to their formal education and life experiences shapes their thinking and perception of the world. Personal experiences offer one-of-a-kind insights and viewpoints; educational institutions influence cognitive development, and cultural norms and values mold thought and conduct. Acknowledging and appreciating different views can result in better communication, teamwork, and networks. If people seek to learn about the perspectives of diverse individuals they interrelate with, would their relationships and interactions not be highly beneficial?
References
Barrett, H. C. (2020). Towards a cognitive science of the human: Cross-cultural approaches and their urgency. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 24(8), 620-638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.05.007
Hafri, A., & Firestone, C. (2021). The perception of relations. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(6), 475-492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.01.006
Heyes, C., Bang, D., Shea, N., Frith, C. D., & Fleming, S. M. (2020). Knowing ourselves together: The cultural origins of metacognition. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 24(5), 349-362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.02.007
