Chapter 3 - Enculturation

Summary

In Chapter 3, I focus on the cultural influences in the ontogenetic acquisition of number concepts and arithmetical knowledge and skills. Using the notion of enculturation as specified by Menary, I provide an account of how both cultural and evolutionarily developed biological aspects influence the acquisition of numbers concepts and arithmetic in the individual. I discuss the neuronal mechanism that enables enculturation processes, reviewing literature that suggests Anderson’s notion of neural reuse to be a better fit than Dehaene’s notion of neuronal recycling. Finally, I present five empirical predictions resulting from accepting the enculturation account of arithmetic in ontogeny.