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A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning Claudia Strauss (Duke University, North Carolina)

A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning By Claudia Strauss (Duke University, North Carolina)

A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning by Claudia Strauss (Duke University, North Carolina)


Summary

Anthropologists must draw on psychological theories of cognition in order to understand how culture is learnt, and shapes everyday actions and decision. The authors offer an approach, based on psychological theories of cultural meaning, illustrating it with original research on understandings of marriage, and success, in the United States.

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A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning Summary

A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning by Claudia Strauss (Duke University, North Carolina)

'Culture' and 'meaning' are central to anthropology, but anthropologists do not agree on what they are. Claudia Strauss and Naomi Quinn propose a new theory of cultural meaning, one that gives priority to the way people's experiences are internalized. Drawing on 'connectionist' or 'neural network' models as well as other psychological theories, they argue that cultural meanings are not fixed or limited to static groups, but neither are they constantly revised and contested. Their approach is illustrated by original research on understandings of marriage and ideas of success in the United States.

A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning Reviews

Strauss and Quinn's impressive book sets out a theory of culture that is both highly plausible and easily accessible to linguists. This is due in large part to the fact htat its approach is consistently synthetic, both in that it seeks to find common ground among different anthropological approaches to the much contested concept of culture, and in that the authors hope to build bridges between anthropology and other disciplines concerned with human thought and behavior...it constitutes a fascinating variant in the recent explosion of interdisciplinary research on the mind and brain. Linguists (and anyone else) with a broad interest in culture, cognition, or meaning will find the book well worth reading...the book is clearly written, well argued, and solidly supported by often fascinating micro-analyses of American culture. Anthropolological Linguistics

Table of Contents

Part I. Background: 1 Introduction; 2. Anthropological resistance; 3. Schema theory and connectionism; 4. Two properties of cultures; 5. Three further properties of culture; Part II. Practice and Possibilities: 6. Research on shared task solutions; 7. Research on the pschodynamics of shared understandings; 8. Research on cultural discontinuities; 9. Beyond old oppositions.

Additional information

CIN052159541XVG
9780521595414
052159541X
A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning by Claudia Strauss (Duke University, North Carolina)
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Cambridge University Press
19980128
336
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - A Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning