arithmetic as a tool for investigating relations between culture and cognition

Abstract

After working out the details of four arithmetic systems among traditional tribal tailors in West Africa, we present an analysis of arithmetic errors that makes possible predictions about the varied educational experiences of the tailors and about individual problem‐solving characteristics. It is argued that arithmetic is a powerful domain for exploring the impact of education on cognitive skills because of the systematic properties of the domain and because coexisting arithmetic systems lead to contrasting problem‐solving strategies within most cultures.