Children's development in the context of their participation in subsistence activities in rural communities of Northwest Argentina

REMORINI, C.

Boston

Congreso; . Society for Psychological Anthropology's Biennial Conference; 2015

. Society for Psychological Anthropology

As a wide number of anthropological and psychological researches has shown, to understand human development it is necessary to assume that ?people develop as participants in cultural communities? (Rogoff 2003). In this line, ecological approaches to human development hold that different socialization patterns and goals are necessary to prepare children for a changing environment. In this sense, each ecology emphasizes a different set of ?skills? and different developmental pathways (Greenfield et al. 2003). Some studies have shown how processes of learning change with changes in ecological conditions. Within this framework, this paper analyzes some aspects emerging from an ethnographic research about child rearing and development, carried out in rural communities of the Calchaqui Valleys (Salta, Northwest Argentina). Our research is based on the use of interview, observation and audiovisual techniques. In this paper we aim to characterize discourses and practices about children?s development in the context of caregivers' beliefs and expectations about children's role in subsistence activities at the domestic scope. Also, to recognize and analyze similarities and divergences on discourses and practices observed, by comparing data from households comprised of individuals from different generations. Finally, to discuss these findings in reference to current crucial transformations on ecological conditions and way of life in this region, evaluating their impact on children developmental trajectories.