Heidi Keller

The Classic Edition of Heidi Keller’s Cultures of Infancy, first published in 2007, includes a new introduction by the author, which describes for readers the original context of her work, how she has further developed her research and thinking, and the ongoing relevance of this volume in the context of future challenges for the field. In its original volume, Cultures of Infancy presented the first systematic analysis of culturally informed developmental pathways, synthesizing evolutionary and cultural psychological perspectives for a broader understanding of human development. In this compelling book, Heidi Keller utilizes ethnographic reports, as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses, to illustrate how humans resolve universal developmental tasks in particular sociodemographic contexts. These contexts are represented in cultural models, with three distinct models addressed throughout the text: the model of independence with autonomy as developmental organizer; the model of interdependence with relatedness as the developmental organizer; and the model of autonomous relatedness representing particular mixtures of autonomy and relatedness. The book offers an empirical examination of the first integrative developmental task during the early months of life—relationship formation. Keller shows that early parenting experiences shape the basic foundation of the self within particular models of parenting that are influenced by culturally informed socialization goals. With distinct patterns of results that the studies have revealed, Cultures of Infancy helps redefine developmental psychology as part of a culturally informed science based on evolutionary groundwork. Scholars interested in a broad perspective on human development and culture will benefit from this pioneering volume.

The Classic Edition of Heidi Keller’s Cultures of Infancy, first published in 2007, includes a new introduction by the author, which describes for readers the original context of her work, how she has further developed her research and thinking, and the ongoing relevance of this volume in the context of future challenges for the field. In its original volume, Cultures of Infancy presented the first systematic analysis of culturally informed developmental pathways, synthesizing evolutionary and cultural psychological perspectives for a broader understanding of human development. In this compelling book, Heidi Keller utilizes ethnographic reports, as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses, to illustrate how humans resolve universal developmental tasks in particular sociodemographic contexts. These contexts are represented in cultural models, with three distinct models addressed throughout the text: the model of independence with autonomy as developmental organizer; the model of interdependence with relatedness as the developmental organizer; and the model of autonomous relatedness representing particular mixtures of autonomy and relatedness. The book offers an empirical examination of the first integrative developmental task during the early months of life—relationship formation. Keller shows that early parenting experiences shape the basic foundation of the self within particular models of parenting that are influenced by culturally informed socialization goals. With distinct patterns of results that the studies have revealed, Cultures of Infancy helps redefine developmental psychology as part of a culturally informed science based on evolutionary groundwork. Scholars interested in a broad perspective on human development and culture will benefit from this pioneering volume.

The Myth of Attachment Theory confronts the uncritical acceptance of attachment theory – challenging its scientific basis and questioning the relevance in our modern, superdiverse and multicultural society – and exploring the central concern of how children, and their way of forming relationships, differ from each other. In this book, Heidi Keller examines diverse multicultural societies, proposing that a single doctrine cannot best serve all children and families. Drawing on cultural, psychological and anthropological research, this challenging volume respects cultural diversity as the human condition and demonstrates how the wide heterogeneity of children’s worlds must be taken seriously to avoid painful or unethical consequences that might result from the application of attachment theory in different fields. The book explores attachment theory as a scientific construct, deals with attachment theory as the foundation of early education, specifies the dimensions that need to be considered for a culturally conscious approach and, finally, approaches ethical problems which result from the universality claim of attachment theory in different areas. This book employs multiple and mixed methods, while also going beyond critical analysis of theory to offer insight into the implications of the unquestioning acceptance of this theory in such areas as childhood interventions, diagnosis of attachment security, international intervention programs and educational settings. This volume will be a crucial read for scholars and researchers in developmental, educational and clinical psychology, as well as educators, teachers-in-training and other professionals working with children and their families.

The Myth of Attachment Theory confronts the uncritical acceptance of attachment theory – challenging its scientific basis and questioning the relevance in our modern, superdiverse and multicultural society – and exploring the central concern of how children, and their way of forming relationships, differ from each other. In this book, Heidi Keller examines diverse multicultural societies, proposing that a single doctrine cannot best serve all children and families. Drawing on cultural, psychological and anthropological research, this challenging volume respects cultural diversity as the human condition and demonstrates how the wide heterogeneity of children’s worlds must be taken seriously to avoid painful or unethical consequences that might result from the application of attachment theory in different fields. The book explores attachment theory as a scientific construct, deals with attachment theory as the foundation of early education, specifies the dimensions that need to be considered for a culturally conscious approach and, finally, approaches ethical problems which result from the universality claim of attachment theory in different areas. This book employs multiple and mixed methods, while also going beyond critical analysis of theory to offer insight into the implications of the unquestioning acceptance of this theory in such areas as childhood interventions, diagnosis of attachment security, international intervention programs and educational settings. This volume will be a crucial read for scholars and researchers in developmental, educational and clinical psychology, as well as educators, teachers-in-training and other professionals working with children and their families.

English summary: Cultural diversity is no longer the exception in kindergartens today, but rather a lived and experienced reality. In today=s day-care centres, parents and children from very different cultural backgrounds come together, and it is not always easy to summon the necessary sensitivity, tolerance, and also respect for different values and standards, different gender roles, and different family and generational relationships. This volume develops educational approaches that are able to do justice to the diversity of today=s day-care centres. The basis for this is provided by comparative developmental psychology, which takes a scientific look at different cultural models of development, different upbringing strategies and differences in children=s social-emotional development, cognitive development, and self-development. German description: Kulturelle Vielfalt ist in Kindertagesstatten nicht mehr die Ausnahme, sondern gelebte und erfahrene Realitat. Hier treffen Eltern und Kinder mit ganz unterschiedlichen kulturellen Hintergrunden aufeinander. Wichtig ist deshalb, die notwendige Sensibilitat, Toleranz, aber auch den Respekt z. B. gegenuber anderen Werten und Normen sowie anderen Familien- und Generationsverhaltnissen aufzubringen. Das Buch entwickelt einen padagogischen Ansatz, der dazu beitragen soll, der Vielfalt in den Kitas gerecht zu werden. Grundlagen dafur liefert die kulturvergleichende Entwicklungspsychologie, die unterschiedliche kulturelle Modelle von Familien, unterschiedliche Erziehungsstrategien und Differenzen z. B. in der sozial-emotionalen, der kognitiven und der Selbstentwicklung der Kinder wissenschaftlich erforscht und in ihrer Bedeutung fur die Praxis beschreibt.

Ausgehend von der öffentlichen Diskussion um die ichbezogene Generation und die individuellen und gesellschaftlichen Konsequenzen analysiert Heidi Keller das frühe Erziehungs- und Sozialisationsumfeld von Kindern. Vom ersten Tag an orientiert sich elterliches Verhalten an psychologischer Autonomie. Die Einzigartigkeit, Individualität und insbesondere die innere Welt der Wünsche, Bedürfnisse und Vorlieben stehen zu Hause wie auch in der Kita im Mittelpunkt. Westliche Mittelschichtkinder wachsen daher in einem konsistenten Sozialisationsmilieu auf. Bisher wenig beachtete Konsequenzen dieser Erziehung werden anhand von Beispielen aufgezeigt, wie etwa dem Trotzverhalten, der Abhängigkeit von der ungeteilten Aufmerksamkeit der Eltern und der Verminderung sozialer Kompetenzen.

The overarching goal of the present study was to trace the development of mirror self-recognition (MSR), as an index oftoddlers’ sense of themselves and others as autonomous intentional agents, in different sociocultural environments.

Kindheit wird von kulturellen Mustern geprägt. Wie können Kinderpsychotherapeuten, Kindergärtnerinnen, Erzieherinnen, Eltern … aktiv mit der kulturellen Vielfalt in unserer Gesellschaft umgehen? Professor Heidi Keller und ihr Team haben zwei grundlegende kulturelle Muster identifiziert, die durch die sozialen Erfahrungen im ersten Lebensjahr angelegt werden und deren Kenntnis sich in der Praxis als äußerst hilfreich erwiesen haben. Sie werden in diesem Buch gut verständlich und praxisnah aufbereitet: Wahrnehmen der eigenen kulturellen Brille Wahrnehmen der Praktiken anderer Kulturen als gleichberechtigte Lebensformen. Was bedeutet das konkret? Und wie kann man das Wissen in Therapie, Erziehung und Beratung nutzen? Die Akzeptanz unterschiedlicher kultureller Muster ist notwendige Voraussetzung für gelungene Integrationsbemühungen. Das Buch möchte dazu einen Beitrag leisten. Geschrieben für Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapeuten, Erzieherinnen, Kindergärtnerinnen, Mitarbeiter von Beratungsstellen, Eltern, interessierte Laien.

Cultures of Infancy presents the first systematic analysis of culturally informed developmental pathways, synthesizing evolutionary and cultural psychological perspectives for a broader understanding of human development. In this compelling book, author Heidi Keller utilizes ethnographic reports, as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses, to illustrate how humans resolve universal developmental tasks in particular sociodemographic contexts. These contexts are represented in cultural models, and three distinct models are addressed throughout the text: the model of independence with autonomy as developmental organizer; the model of interdependence with relatedness as the developmental organizer; and the model of autonomous relatedness representing particular mixtures of autonomy and relatedness. The book offers an empirical examination of the first integrative developmental task-relationship formation during the early months of life. Keller shows that early parenting experiences shape the basic foundation of the self within particular models of parenting that are influenced by culturally informed socialization goals. With distinct patterns of results the studies have revealed, Cultures of Infancy will help redefine developmental psychology as part of a culturally informed science based on evolutionary ground work. Scholars interested in a broad perspective on human development and culture will benefit from this pioneering volume.

Cultures of Infancy presents the first systematic analysis of culturally informed developmental pathways, synthesizing evolutionary and cultural psychological perspectives for a broader understanding of human development. In this compelling book, author Heidi Keller utilizes ethnographic reports, as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses, to illustrate how humans resolve universal developmental tasks in particular sociodemographic contexts. These contexts are represented in cultural models, and three distinct models are addressed throughout the text: the model of independence with autonomy as developmental organizer; the model of interdependence with relatedness as the developmental organizer; and the model of autonomous relatedness representing particular mixtures of autonomy and relatedness. The book offers an empirical examination of the first integrative developmental task-relationship formation during the early months of life. Keller shows that early parenting experiences shape the basic foundation of the self within particular models of parenting that are influenced by culturally informed socialization goals. With distinct patterns of results the studies have revealed, Cultures of Infancy will help redefine developmental psychology as part of a culturally informed science based on evolutionary ground work. Scholars interested in a broad perspective on human development and culture will benefit from this pioneering volume.

Nach einer Reprasentativumfrage haben 1974 uber 40% der Mutter nicht, 25 % bis zu vier Wochen und weniger als 10% bis zu 8 Wochen ge- stillt. Vielleicht hat sich das Bild inzwischen etwas zugunsten des Stillens verschoben, wesentlich anders sieht es sicherlich nicht aus. Noch 1964 stillten mehr als 80% der Mutter, davon uber 40% ohne Zufuttern. Noch friiher war das Stillen eine Selbstverstandlichkeit. Die Muttermilch ist in den altesten lateinischen*) Schriften in Deutschland, die sich mit Kindernahrung beschaftigen als einzige mogli- che Nahrung beschrieben: allerdings soil die abgepumpte Milch mit et- was Wein vermischt werden. Wenn Krankheit Brustnahrung nicht ratsam erscheinen laBt, sollte anstelle der Muttermilch Brot, Dunnbier und Ho- nig oder Zucker verwendet werden. Auch uber die Dauer des Stillens gibt es unterschiedliche Angaben. 1765 betrachtete man 12 Monate als naturliche Stilldauer. Abstillen vor dem 6. Monat bedeutet den "armen Kindern den Weg zu unvermeidli- chern Tod". In anderen Schriften wird der Durchbruch der ersten Zahne als nariirliches Abstilldatum angegeben. Der Muttermilch wurde eine geheimnisvolle "Lebenskraft" zuge- schrieben, weshalb auch nach allgemeiner Volksmeinung eine Mutter ihr Kind selbst stillen sollte. In den sog. besseren Kreisen war dies durchaus nicht ublich. Damals glaubte man auBerdem, daB mit der Milch auch Charakterei- genschaften der Stillenden ubertragen werden. Allerdings gab es auch hin und wieder negative Meinungen zum Stillen. So glaubte man z. B. in Schwaben, daB das Stillen zur Schwindsucht beim Kind fuhre.