Cultural characteristics of learning and perceptual skills of Southeast Alaskan native 5-year-olds

Abstract

Turkon, Thomas J., "Cultural characteristics of learning and perceptual skills of Southeast Alaskan native 5-year-olds" (1985). Haida ancestry. A standardized parent interview was used to tJllect bio-demographic data.Mean scores for the sample displayed significant differences between the Performance and Verbal scales, with the strongest performance in the Spatial subtests, and lowest in the Sequential subtests. Scores were significantly associated with variables representing culture-specific self identity and behavior, but were most strongly associated with family size. Factor Analysis suggested a distinct three factor structure consisting of (1) a Performance-Spatial, Physical recall loaded only on the Memory factor for all age groups. Semantic recall, however, loaded primarily on the Memory factor for 6-year-olds, the Successive factor for 11-year-olds, and on the Simultaneous factor for 17-year-olds. Clearly, children were found to be employing different cognitive strategies at different ages on the Semantic tasks. The findings of factor dominance were not exclusive of the other factors which had secondary loadings. Das and Jarman (1979) point out that such factors represent optional processes or strategies for dealing with information and orienting to problems, and that they are used in concert and in different ways by individuals and groups.