Anthropologists as Cognitive Scientists

Astuti, Rita; Bloch, Maurice

doi:10.1111/j.1756-8765.2012.01191.x

Cited by 29 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…This anthropologically based approach ensured the cultural sensitivity of study designs and provided a rich basis for considering possible cultural differences. Therefore, it is advocated as standard practice among interdisciplinary researchers (e.g., Astuti & Bloch, 2012;Astuti, Solomon, & Carey, 2004;Heine, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

I’ve got a feeling: Urban and rural indigenous children’s beliefs about early life mentality

Emmons

Kelemen

2015

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

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This cross-cultural investigation explored children's reasoning about their mental capacities during the earliest period of human physical existence--the prenatal period. For comparison, children's reasoning about the observable period of infancy was also examined. A total of 283 5- to 12-year-olds from two distinct cultures (urban Ecuador and rural indigenous Shuar) participated. Across cultures, children distinguished the fetal period from infancy, attributing fewer capacities to fetuses. However, for both the infancy and fetal periods, children from both cultures privileged the functioning of emotions and desires over epistemic states (i.e., abilities for thought and memory). Children's justifications to questions about fetal mentality revealed that although epistemic states were generally regarded as requiring physical maturation to function, emotions and desires were seen as functioning as a de facto result of prenatal existence and in response to the prospect of future birth and being part of a social group. These results show that from early in development, children across cultures possess nuanced beliefs about the presence and functioning of mental capacities. Findings converge with recent results to suggest that there is an early arising bias to view emotions and desires as the essential inviolable core of human mentality. The current findings have implications for understanding the role that emerging cognitive biases play in shaping conceptions of human mentality across different cultures. They also speak to the cognitive foundations of moral beliefs about fetal rights.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

I’ve got a feeling: Urban and rural indigenous children’s beliefs about early life mentality

Emmons

Kelemen

2015

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

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“…From his point of view, this is a consequence of exporting our own Western notions of causality to other societies instead of looking for its subjacent ration ality and inner logic. Other approaches that appeal to a universal form of rationalism underlying cultural practice (Astuti and Bloch 2012;Bloch 1998Bloch , 2011Harris 1974Harris , 1978Sperber 1996Sperber , 2000 exemplify the reticence that exists among anthropologists concerning the general use of native categories for analytical purposes. They consider these attempts as misleading paths in the quest for clarity and understanding.…”

Section: Ethnographic Theories Of Powermentioning

confidence: 98%

Mandinga: Power and Deception in Afro-Brazilian Capoeira

Varela¹

2013

Social Analysis

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This article is about the meaning of mandinga in Afro-Brazilian capoeira as it is practiced in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Capoeira is an art form that combines elements of ritual, play, and fight. My main argument focuses on the mandinga as an indigenous form of power that shapes social relations, bodily interaction, magic acts, and the definition of a person. The concept of mandinga offers an understanding of the deceptive logic of capoeira and contributes to the development of an ethnographic theory of power. The emphasis here is on the importance of mandinga as a strategy for fighting and as a principle for social interaction with strong ontological implications. It is considered a cosmological force that affects the foundations of subjective reality and the perception of the world.

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“…Our essay was ambiguous concerning cognitive science as a field versus cognitive science as represented by the membership, journals, and practice associated with the Cognitive Science Society. Astuti and Bloch , Barrett, Stich, and Laurence , and Boster note that our challenge question is trivial in that, by definition, anthropology is part of cognitive science, the inter‐disciplinary study of Homo sapiens . Rothe identifies some of the institutional barriers to cognitive anthropologists participating in cognitive science and offers a number of promising suggestions for overcoming these barriers.…”

Section: Clarifications and Reframingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Turning Tides: Prospects for More Diversity in Cognitive Science

Bender

Beller

Medin³

2012

Topics in Cognitive Science

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This conclusion of the debate on anthropology's role in cognitive science provides some clarifications and an overview of emergent themes. It also lists, as cases of good practice, some examples of productive cross-disciplinary collaboration that evince a forward momentum in the relationship between anthropology and the other cognitive sciences. What an interesting and challenging set of commentaries! Although our intention was to be provocative, we did not begin to anticipate the range and creativity of the responses. Our introductory essay, examining the prospects for a rapprochement between anthropology and the other cognitive sciences (Beller, Bender, & Medin, 2012), started with a brief (and subjective) sketch on how the relationship between anthropology and cognitive science got into trouble (see also Gatewood, Shweder 1 ), went on to identify some of the main challenges, and ended with the suggestion that a happy reunion may be too much to be hoped for. A range of scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds, both junior and senior, were invited to respond to this essay. Each commentary provides a uniquely valuable contribution to this debate in its own right and should stand-and be read-for itself. Instead of responding to each of them, we aim for some clarifications and focus on a few emergent themes.Correspondence should be sent to

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Anthropologists as Cognitive Scientists

Cited by 29 publications

References 13 publications

I’ve got a feeling: Urban and rural indigenous children’s beliefs about early life mentality

I’ve got a feeling: Urban and rural indigenous children’s beliefs about early life mentality

Mandinga: Power and Deception in Afro-Brazilian Capoeira

Turning Tides: Prospects for More Diversity in Cognitive Science

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