Between Culture and Biology
Perspectives on Ontogenetic Development

Between Culture and Biology integrates both the biological and the cultural perspectives on ontogenetic development.

Heidi Keller (Edited by), Ype H. Poortinga (Edited by), Axel Schölmerich (Edited by)

9780521794527, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 November 2002

450 pages, 25 b/w illus. 15 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.65 kg

Between Culture and Biology breaks away from the traditional nature/nurture dialectic and brings together biological, psychological and cultural perspectives on development. In this thought-provoking book, the argument is put forward that the biological bases of behaviour and cultural context should be approached in an integrated fashion to properly understand ontogenetic development and that both the cultural and biological demain provide constraints and opportunities for development. It also examines the influence that various perspectives have had on developmental theory and the extent to which cultural ideas and practices reflect biological and psychological constraints. By drawing together editors and contributors who are all leading experts in their field, with diverse theoretical perspectives from a range of disciplines Between Culture and Biology develops an integrative approach to this fascinating topic while preserving intellectual depth and complexity.

Introduction Heidi Keller, Ype H. Poortinga and Axel Schölmerich
Part I. Setting the Scene: 1. Culture, biology and development across history Gustav Jahoda
2. Comparative developmental perspectives on culture: the great apes Anne E. Russon
3. The mutual definition of culture and biology in development Patricia M. Greenfield
Part II. Perspectives on Development Informed by Culture: 4. Indian parents' ethnotheories as reflections of the Hindu scheme of child and human development T. S. Saraswathi and Hema Ganapathy
5. Indigenous conceptions of childhood development and social realities in Southern Africa Roderick Fulata Zimba
6. The myth of lurking chaos Ernst E. Boesch
7. Integrating cultural psychological and biological perspectives in understanding child development Joan G. Miller
Part III. Perspectives on development drawing from the universal and the specific: 8. Between individuals and culture: Individuals' evaluations of exclusion from social groups Melanie Killen, Heidi McGlothlin and Jennie Lee-Kim
9. Biology, culture and child rearing: the development of social motives Hans-Joachim Kornadt
Part IV. Perspectives on Development Informed by Evolutionary Thinking: 10. Development as the interface between biology and culture: a conceptualisation of early ontogenetic experiences Heidi Keller
11. Integrating evolution, culture and developmental psychology: explaining caregiver-infant proximity and responsiveness in Central Africa and the United States of America Barry S. Hewlett and Michael E. Lamb
12. Shame across cultures: the evolution, ontogeny, and function of a 'moral emotion' Michael J. Casimir and Michael Schnegg
Part V. Metaperspectives: 13. Culture and development Michael Cole
Behaviour-culture relationships and ontogenetic development Ype H. Poortinga and Karel Soudijn
15. Paradigms revisited: from incommensurability to respected complementarity Lutz H. Eckensberger
16. Conceptions of ontogenetic development: integrating and demarcating perspectives Heidi Keller, Ype H. Poortinga and Axel Schölmerich.

Subject Areas: Developmental biology [PSC], Child & developmental psychology [JMC], Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography [JHMC]