With reference to at least two areas of cognitive development, Essay

With reference to at least two areas of cognitive development, critically assess the role that culture plays in development - Essay Example The human race is one of the most intelligent life forms which more or less follows certain uniform tenets of life all over the world but cannot escape the colour imparted by various factors which lend them unique identities which are easily discernible. Thus we can easily differentiate human populations on the basis of an already established classification of Caucasians, Mongols, Latinas, Afros, Asians, etc. All continents and their constituent countries harbour unique cultures which exert a strong influence on the cognitive development of people born and brought up in a particular location. Religion is a creation of the human psyche and exerts a heavy influence on the cultural practices and development of the overall personality of an individual belonging to a particular sect or congregation. This is the reason why diverse faiths have developed in different geographical locales where the local intelligentsia have formed their own concepts and notions of God and created a society which has to adhere to the locally established concepts, norms and way of life in general. There are others who have totally disregarded the existence of God and lead their life according to a set of social, cultural and economic norms which they find essential for a fruitful and sustainable life pattern. Cognitive development of the animal begins from birth itself when a new born becomes aware of its senses of vision, touch, smell, pain and hunger. Other developments are dependent on the species and its limitations. Primitive animals like insects, ants, fish, amphibians, etc. have predefined instinctive impulses which they follow like clockwork till the culmination of life. Semi intelligent and more intelligent animal forms like dogs, cats, lions, dolphins, whales and sub-human primates have a relatively high degree of intelligence which guides their life pattern wherein they are capable of making choices as