The Impact of Ritual on Child Cognition
Ebook
In this book, Veronika Rybanska explores how ritual participation affects the cognitive abilities of children. Rybanska argues that, far from being a simple matter of mindless copying, ritual participation in childhood requires rigorous computation by cognitive mechanisms. In turn, this computation can improve a child's 'executive functioning': a set of cognitive skills that are essential for successful cognitive, social and psychological development.
After providing a critique of existing literature on religion and ritual, Rybanska presents a new interdisciplinary approach that draws from anthropology, psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Using cross-cultural examples, including a comparison between Melanesian culture and Western culture, Rybanska shows that some of the most socially important effects of rituals seem to be universal. The implications of this research suggest that we should rethink multiple aspects of child-rearing and educational policy, and shows that the presence of some form of ritual during childhood could have positive evolutionary benefits.
Examines the effect of ritual on the cognitive abilities of children and explores its importance for understanding developmental psychology and culture.
Fills a gap in current literature on religion and ritual due to its focus on child development
Has implications for child-rearing and educational policy
Presents an unusual synthesis of experimental and ethnographic research from multiple cultures
Author Veronika Rybanska presented a TED talk on this topic, so has already had some media exposure
List of tables
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Rituals
3. Ritual stance adoption in two contrasting cultures
4. Executive function
5. The ability to delay gratification
6. Summary and results
References
Index
- Title: The Impact of Ritual on Child Cognition
- Author: Veronika Rybanska
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2020
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781350108936, 9781350108912, 135010891X, 1350108936
- Resource ID: LLS:9781350108936
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-04-09T03:46:43Z
Veronika Rybanska is Postdoctoral Associate at the Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford, UK, and Research Fellow at the Centre for Modelling Social Systems, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.