Yucatec Maya theory of learning may be thought of as Learning by Observing and Pitching In to family and community endeavours. Children learn everyday and specialized tasks by observing and pitching in. This mode of learning is embedded in children's developmental niche in which parental ethnotheories play the central role. I present results from a study of children's process of learning to become vernacular architects as they participate in building the boxes that make up the bullring for the village fiesta. Ninety-two expert adults were interviewed and direct observations were made during the building process. Results show that children accompany their fathers from an early age and observe and pitch in until they become experts. In order to learn, children need to have the will to like the task. Having the will depends on their destiny. Only those who have the will become responsible experts. Fathers encourage their children to accompany them to help their will to emerge. The developmental niche is organized to incorporate children into the building process to learn by observing and contributing.

This study examined the relationships between temperament and ecological context among Yucatec Mayan children based on the assumption that maternal ethnotheories act as mediators and are related to world view. Since the latter is related to ecological context, its transformation may result in variations in ethnotheories and, therefore, temperament characteristics. Using standard questionnaires and ethnographic data, we evaluated 178 children aged 4 to 36 months from two villages representing the most contrasting ecological contexts in Yucatan, Mexico. Mothers described temperament-like behaviours as modos (ways) and related them to their concepts of development and children’s vulnerability, and to child-care and rearing practices. Age predicted threshold, approach, and intensity. Ecological context independently contributed to variations in approach, intensity, mood, and distractibility. Parental characteristics did not independently contribute but appeared to influence the relation between ecological context and mood, intensity, and distractibility. The findings suggest that temperament variations associated with ecological context may result from differences in maternal ethnotheories about rate of development and vulnerability of children and that knowledge of the national language and increased education without transformation of ecological context may have influenced ethnotheories on rate of development rather than on vulnerability.

Children’s household contributions have been studied across cultural communities, mostly on the basis of maternal reports. Less is known about children’s views of their contributions. This study examines Yucatec Maya children’s ethnotheories of learning to help at home and their motivation for helping. We interviewed 38 7- to 11-year-old children in two communities in the Yucatán Peninsula, México. Children in both communities contributed substantially to their families by regularly taking the initiative to help with family work. Children explained that they like to help and that helping is a shared responsibility among family members. Children’s sense of belonging and responsibility to the family seemed to be the driving forces in their contributions, as they pay attention to the needs of the family and take the initiative to learn and help. These findings demonstrate the relevance of studying children’s ethnotheories to understand cultural variations on learning to help at home.

Cleaning products are associated with many health and environmental problems. Contamination of water resources by cleaning products is more likely to occur with septic tanks as sewage treatment systems especially in karstic terrains. We explored women’s ideas about water sources and the risk cleaning products pose to health and sewage in Mérida, a city in the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico. Women were unaware of the city’s water management system. We found a positive and statistically significant association between risk perception and environmental awareness, education level and employment status. We suggest developing education and risk communication strategies to inform residents about the hydro-geological features in the Yucatán, the vulnerability of its karstic aquifer and the health and environmental risks associated with cleaning agents.

Temperament ratings using a modified Carey Infant Temperament Questionnaire were assessed in marginally malnourished and healthy comparison infants aged 7-13 months. The children were selected from a total of 81 children in this age range living in a rural region of southern Yucatan, Mexico. Eleven marginally malnourished infants whose weights fell between one-half and two standard deviations below local means and 14 comparison children whose weights fell one-half to two standard deviations above the local means were included in the study. Lengths did not differ between index and comparison groups. Related temperament categories were statistically grouped into two factors. Factor 1 (Difficult Child), which included approach, mood, threshold, adaptability and rhythmicity, showed a significant nutrition × sex interaction; Factor 2 (Activity) did not distinguish the groups. Comparison boys were viewed as significantly easier than marginally malnourished boys, and they were more adaptable to change and predictable in biological functions. Girls were similar regardless of nutritional status, and their scores were intermediate between those of malnourished and well-nourished boys. These findings were not significantly associated with environmental conditions in the home.

In most cultures, but particularly among Indigenous communities of the Americas, children help extensively with household work. However, less is known about the role of maternal ethnotheories as cultural organizers of the family environment and children's helping. We explored Maya maternal ethnotheories about children's learning to help in two villages. Mothers reported that children learn by observing and pitching in because they have the will and interest and want to help. Mothers help children by orchestrating the setting, supporting their initiative, but learning must be initiated by children. Results support the view of a Yucatec Maya theory of learning and highlight the relevance of studying maternal ethnotheories. As cultural models, ethnotheories guide the organization of the developmental niche, affording children's learning by observing and pitching in and supporting the emergence of their will and interest. Their study may contribute to further acknowledging and supporting cultural diversity.

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