Are We Impeding Our Children's Collaborative Growth?
A recent study conducted with contemporary hunter-gatherer societies found that infants in these societies receive care and physical contact for about nine hours per day from up to 15 different caregivers. This has led the researchers to conclude that children may be "evolutionarily primed" to expect exceptionally high levels of physical contact and care, as well as personal attention from several caregivers in addition to their biological parents.
The study's findings have implications for childcare practices in Western countries. As one of the authors, Dr. Nikhil Chaudhary, says, "for the vast majority of our species' evolutionary history, mothers probably had far more support than they currently do in Western countries such as the UK."
"For the vast majority of our species' evolutionary history, mothers probably had far more support than they currently do in Western countries."
This is not the first time I've come across studies showing that in small hunter- and gatherer societies, people help each other to raise the young. I've also seen it in both African and Asian cultures, where friends and family help out with the young.
From an evolutionary standpoint, multiple caregivers make a lot of sense. It offers support and protection to both child and parents, who are more likely to develop a sense of belonging to a group. Multiple caregivers also hone the child's cooperative skills.
According to a WHO report from 2004, the day-to-day interactions between a child and the primary caregivers affect the child's "neurological development, psychological capacities, and social adjustment." With many caregivers, a child is exposed to a wide spectrum of ideas, knowledge, experiences, and behaviors. This allows the child not only to understand the benefits of cognitive diversity but will also teach them how to cooperate with people who are different.
In small hunter-gatherer communities, there is a higher ratio of caregivers to children. Compare this to current practice in Western nurseries, where a few adult caregivers are responsible for a larger number of children. This is a concern because it means our children may not get enough cognitive diversity on a daily basis to develop their collaborative skills. Add to this the fact that many children spend a lot of time isolated behind a screen. The effects of this are not fully understood, but I'm wondering if we are in the process of impeding children's collaborative growth. That is, people who do not know how to cooperate with people who think differently. If this is the case, we are facing a serious problem, after all, collective intelligence requires cognitive diversity.
Now, to end on a positive note, we can all help out. Perhaps you have family or close friends with small children whom you can help? Or why not become a mentor for children and teens? There are many great organizations out there doing their best to offer young people a safe and educational upbringing. Give them your support and help make the world a little better.
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