How age and culture influence cognition: A lifespan developmental perspective

Abstract

It has long been assumed that cognitive aging is a universal phenomenon. However, increasing evidence substantiates the importance of individual differences in cognitive aging. How do experiential factors related to culture shape developmental trajectories of cognition? We propose a new model examining how age and culture influence cognitive processes, building on past models and expanding upon them to incorporate a lifespan developmental perspective. The current model posits that how age and culture interact to influence cognition depends on (a) the extent to which the cognitive task relies on top-down or bottom-up processes, and (b) for more top-down processes, the level of cognitive resources required to perform the task. To assess the validity of the model, we review literature not only from adulthood but also childhood, making this the first model to adopt a lifespan perspective in the study of culture and cognition. The current work advances understanding of cognitive aging by delineating the combined effects of biological aging processes, assumed to apply across cultures, and culture-dependent experiential aging processes, which reflect unique cultural experiences throughout one’s lifespan. This approach enables understanding of comprehensive potential mechanisms that underlie the influence of culture on cognitive development across life stages.