Enhanced Cognitive Flexibility in the Seminomadic Himba.

Through codified rule-use, humans can accurately solve many problems. Yet, mechanized strategies can also be costly. After adopting a solution strategy, humans often become blind to alternatives, even when those alternatives are more efficient. Termed cognitive set, this failure to switch from a fam...

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Publicado en:Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology Vol. 50; pp. 47 - 63
Autores principales: Pope, Sarah M., Fagot, Joël, Meguerditchian, Adrien, Washburn, David A., Hopkins, William D.
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. Jan2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jan2019
      vid: 50
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      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
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        10.1177/0022022118806581
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        atl: Enhanced Cognitive Flexibility in the Seminomadic Himba.
      aug:
        au:
          Pope, Sarah M.
          Fagot, Joël
          Meguerditchian, Adrien
          Washburn, David A.
          Hopkins, William D.
        affil:
          Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
          Aix-Marseille University, France
          The University of Texas at Austin, USA
      su:
        Namibia
        Cognition
        Cultural pluralism
        Problem solving
        Computer input-output equipment
      sug:
        subj:
          Cognition
          Cultural pluralism
          Problem solving
          Namibia
          Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing
          Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing
          Computer input-output equipment
      keyword:
        cognitive flexibility
        cognitive set
        problem solving
        shifting
        switching
        cognitive flexibility
        cognitive set
        problem solving
        shifting
        switching
      ab: Through codified rule-use, humans can accurately solve many problems. Yet, mechanized strategies can also be costly. After adopting a solution strategy, humans often become blind to alternatives, even when those alternatives are more efficient. Termed cognitive set, this failure to switch from a familiar strategy to a better alternative has been considered universally human. Yet, our understanding of this phenomenon is derived almost exclusively from Western subjects. In this study, we used the nonverbal Learned Strategy–Direct Strategy (LS-DS) touchscreen task in which subjects are presented with an opportunity to use either a learned strategy or a more efficient, but novel, shortcut. We found that the remote, seminomadic Himba of northern Namibia exhibited enhanced shortcut-use on the LS-DS task, challenging the claim that cognitive set affects humans universally. In addition, we found that altering subjects' conceptualization of the shortcut as a viable option significantly enhanced its subsequent use in Western but not Himba participants. We discuss how other aspects of cultural variation, namely, environmental uncertainty and educational background, might contribute to the observed cross-cultural differences in flexible strategy-use.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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