One of the benefits of the Internet is that we have immediate access to information about many societies and cultures. After a little web browsing, it becomes clear that various societies and cultures promote varying activities for their members—sports, for example, or the age at which a certain activity is deemed appropriate, or the roles viewed as proper for males and females, and so on. In this learning activity you will use the Internet to explore several countries and identify sociocultural constraints specific to those places.
1. Have you ever wondered what your motor development might be like if you had grown up in a different society and culture? In this exercise you will imagine in turn that you are a college-age individual from each of six continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. To get started, select a country from each continent. Do not choose the country in which you reside.
2. Next, visit at least two websites from each country as well as two websites about each country (e.g., from an encyclopedia or travel guide). Remember to record the URLs of these websites for future reference. The more websites you visit, the more information you will have to work with.
3. For each country, identify sociocultural constraints specific to that society or culture.
4. For each country you choose, develop a biographical portrait of yourself as you might be if you had been born and raised there. Focus on sociocultural constraints. What would you be like? How would your life and motor development differ from country to country? How might your motor development there compare with your actual motor development in your real home country? Would similarities exist between your lives in the various countries?