Lo Cultural en Cross Cultural Neuropsychology

Antonio E. Puente University of North Carolina at Wilmington Universidad de los Andes Agosto 26, 2004

Outline

     Background Basic Concepts Research Program Possible Interpretations Future Considerations

Background

   Heritage Education & Training Clinical Work and its Limitations

Basic Concepts

 Clinical Neuropsychology • History • Current Perspectives    Typical Clinical Activities Typical Patients Focus on Detecting Impairments

Basic Concepts II

 Culture • Definition = Unwritten Social Rules of Conduct • Author of Rules = Majority Group • Operant Conditioning of Cultural Concepts  Reinforcement • Access to power, money, social opportunities  Punishment • Increased probability of poverty, illness, and isolation

Basic Concepts: Integration

   Does Clinical Neuropsychology Tests Measure the Majority Group Culture´s Notion of Acceptable Behavior?

If so, is Brain Damage or Impairment Nothing More than a Misunderstanding or Misapplication of Prevailing Social Rules?

Finally, is There a Neuropsychological “g”, i.e., Common Cognitive and Emotional Variables Shared Across All Cultures?

Research Program

       United States Puerto Rico Argentina Spain Russia Brazil Kenya

United States

  Intellectual (The Psychological Corporation) • Translation and Standardization of the WISC Neuropsychological (Ardila & Rosselli) • Neuropsychological Evaluation of the Spanish Speaker   Tests, norms, and limitations Education and brain dysfunction

Puerto Rico

   APA Visiting Psychologist Program Inroduction of Clinical Neuropsychology to Puerto Rico Attempt at Adapting English Tests of Cognition in Schizophrenics to Spanish Populations • Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking • Journal of Clinical Psychology

Argentina

   Fulbright Program (Malvinas War) Introduction of Clinical Neuropsychology to Argentina Unable to Develop a Collaborative Research Program • Medicine control of neurological & np issues • Psychology´s focus on psychoanalysis • Lack of resources

Spain

  Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca Development of: • Educational Opportunties  Teaching Graduate Courses in NP   Assist in establishing the specialty Visiting professors and students • Research Program  Universidad Complutensa de Madrid  • Juan Miguel Tobal, Antonio Cano & Juan Manuel Cespedes Universidad de Granada • Juan Godoy & Miguel Perez Garcia

Spain II

  Luria-Nebraska • Translation & Standardization • Several Presentations and Publications Other (examples) • Multiple Sclerosis • Epilepsy • Ecologically Valid Meaures

Russia

   Moscow State University, Alexander Luria´s Laboratory • Janna Glozman & Tatiana Akutina • Dasha Krotova, Anna Agronovich Education • Luria’s Conferences • Training & Eaxchange of Ideas Research

Russia

  General Publications • Comparison of Russian & American Approaches • Russian Perestroika Recent Efforts • Agranovich´s Attempt at Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology   Time is not on my side All things are not equal

Brazil

  Universidad Federal (Sao Paulo) • Vivian Andrade Guarani Indians • Sample • Measures • Results

Kenya

  Masai Tribe • Written Language • Counting and Digitizing • Time • Acquisition • Social Rules Interface with Leaky • The Role of Consciousness in Evolution

Possible Interpreations: Lessons Learned

 Pragmatic • Legal • Financial • Communication • Social & Intellectual Interfacing • Varied Rules for Intellectual Engagment & Productivity

Lessons Learned

 Theoretical • Culture Affects Brain Function, Starting Very Early • Brain Function Cannot Be Understood Outside of Socio-Cultural Context • Again, is Brain Dysfunction Nothing More than Cultural Misunderstanding?

• Possibilities of Finding Culture-Free Might be in Uneducated Individuals and Others in Long Term Cultural Isolation or Homogeneity

Future Considerations

 Luria- The Idea of a Romantic Science   Sperry- The Interface Between the Objective (brain function) and the Subjective (Consciousness) Interfacing Methodology and Theory and both with Clinical Practice