Previous research has documented systematic cultural variations in adults’ cognitive processes. In particular, research on culture and aesthetics suggests that East Asian adults’ aesthetic expression tends to be holistic and context-oriented, whereas North American adults’ aesthetic expression tends to be analytic and object-oriented (Masuda, Gonzalez, Kwan, & Nisbett, 2008). However, research focusing specifically on the developmental processes of such cultural differences in children’s artworks is lacking, with the notable exception of an empirical study conducted by Rübeling et al. (2011). Our current research examined whether school-age children in Grades 1 through 6 exhibit these culturally unique patterns of expression, and if so, when. Children were asked to produce either landscape drawings (Study 1, n = 495) or landscape collages using ready-made items (Study 2, n = 376). The results indicated that children in both cultures gradually develop expressions unique to each culture. Although Grade 1 children’s artworks were still similar across cultures, artworks in Grade 2 and higher showed substantial cultural variations. Japanese children were more likely than their Canadian counterparts to place the horizon higher in the visual space and to include more pieces of information. The higher placement of the horizon is linked to the context-oriented visual attention style seen in adults’ drawings and historical paintings in East Asian cultures, as opposed to object-focused drawing styles commonly seen in North American cultures. We also report culturally similar patterns in the developmental trajectory and discuss the internalization process of culturally dominant patterns of perception.

Research on cultural products suggest that there are substantial cultural variations between East Asian and European landscape masterpieces and contemporary members' landscape artwork (Masuda et al., 2008c), and that these cultural differences in drawing styles emerge around the age of 8 (Senzaki et al., 2014b). However, culture is not static. To explore the dynamics of historical and ontogenetic influence on artistic expressions, we examined (1) 17–20th century Japanese and Western landscape masterpieces, and (2) cross-sectional adolescent data in landscape artworks alongside previous findings of elementary school-aged children, and undergraduates. The results showed cultural variations in artworks and masterpieces as well as substantial “cultural drifts” (Herskovits, 1948) where at certain time periods in history and in development, people's expressions deviated from culturally default patterns but occasionally returned to its previous state. The bidirectional influence of culture and implications for furthering the discipline of cultural psychology will be discussed.

Prior research on the perception of facial expressions suggests that East Asians are more likely than North Americans to incorporate the expressions of background figures into their judgment of a central figure’s emotion (Masuda et al. in J Pers Soc Psychol 94:365–381, 2008b). However, little research has examined this issue in the context of developmental science, especially during joint sessions where parents engage in a task in front of their 7–8-year-old children. In this study, 22 Canadian and 20 Japanese child-parent dyads participated in an emotion judgment task, and were asked to judge a central figure’s emotion and explain their reasoning. The results indicated that while early elementary school children did not show culturally dominant reasoning styles, parents displayed culturally dominant modes of attention, serving as models for their children.

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