6 May -  Mary Gauvain UCR Psychology
Cultural Tools and Cognitive Development     Material and symbolic tools, or artifacts, are developed and used by cultural communities to support intelligent action. Such tools not only enhance thinking, they can also transform it, and in so doing they channel cognitive development in unique ways. This talk will discuss the role of cultural tools or artifacts in cognitive development, including how social interaction with more experienced partners helps children learn how to use tools that support thinking. Of particular interest is how children come to understand and use external representations, such as plans, to guide action. The discussion will be illustrated by a study in which 4- to 7-year-old children and their mothers were observed as they constructed a toy by following a step-by-step action plan. The view is expressed that in order to understand cognitive development it is important to examine thinking in relation to the cultural tools that support much of the intelligent action in which humans engage.