Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Acquisition of Cultural Knowledge by Samoan Youth

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will investigate the acquisition of cultural knowledge of social hierarchy by Samoan youth; in Samoan society, as elsewhere, kin and family groups are ranked relative to one another in a social status hierarchy (centered on chiefs). Studies suggest that acquisition of cultural knowledge occurs through participation in culturally specific activities. This project will test the hypothesis the differences in participation occur as a result of one's gender and/or family rank, and that these differences result in variability in the models acquired. Methods include a demographic survey, structured interviews, participant observation, and videotaping/observations. The study will contribute to theories of socialization by examining how variations in participation in cultural practices lead to variation in social learning; it will also contribute to our understanding of how cultural knowledge comes to be transmitted and socially distributed across a given population.