Cross-Cultural Human Development

Cross-Cultural Human Development
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Cross – Cultural Human Development
Gardiner and Kosmitzki define culture as a combination of learned as well as shared beliefs, values, behaviors and attitudes of particular people which are passed on from generation to generation (2011). People always encounter various cultures in the course of their lives in different ways. These encounters may occur as a result from travelling, migrating, and reading or even through the media such as television. Cultural influences and interaction is also common through social networking sites for instance Facebook and YouTube. Therefore, cross-cultural human development comprises the psychological, physical as well as social behaviors experienced by people through the course of their lives as they grow up in different cultural contexts. It encompasses the cultural similarities and differences experienced by individuals in the processes of growth and development as well as their outcomes expressed through behavior in people or communities (Gardiner & Kosmitzki, 2011). This paper discuses the subject of cross-cultural human development as documented in the book “Lives across cultures: Cross-cultural human development” by Harry Gardiner and Corrine Kosmitzki.
Briefly summarize your reflections on the life experiences described in the text.
The diversity of life experiences in the various cultural settings described in the text clearly indicates the importance of understanding and respecting one another’s cultures. Gardiner, who is one of the authors, is personally undergoing cross-cultural experiences in his life. Gardiner states that he is married to an Asian woman from Thailand with whom they have four children. Raising a cross-cultural and bilingual family has enabled Gardiner to experience first hand the issue of cross-cultural human development (Gardiner & Kosmitzki, 2011). Gardiner asserts that he and hi...