Elements of Neuroanthropology

Abstract

Neuroanthropology is the integration of neuroscience into anthropology and aims to understand “brains in the wild.” This interdisciplinary field examines patterns of human variation in field settings and provides empirical research that complements work done in clinical and laboratory settings. Neuroanthropology often uses ethnography in combination with theories and methods from cognitive science as a way to capture how culture, mind, and brain interact. This article describes nine elements that outline how to do neuroanthropology research: (1) integrating biology and culture through neuroscience and biocultural anthropology; (2) extending focus of anthropology on what people say and do to include what people process; (3) sizing culture appropriately, from broad patterns of culture to culture in small-scale settings; (4) understanding patterns of cultural variation, in particular how culture produces patterns of shared variation; (5) considering individuals in interaction with culture, with levels of analysis that can go from biology to social structures; (6) focusing on interactive elements that bring together biological and cultural processes; (7) conceptual triangulation, which draws on anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience in conjunction with field, clinic, and laboratory; (8) critical complementarity as a way to integrate the strengths of critical scholarship with interdisciplinary work; and (9) using methodological triangulation as a way to advance interdisciplinary research. These elements are illustrated through three case studies: research on US combat veterans and how they use Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a way to manage the transition to becoming civilians, work on human-raptor interactions to understand how and why these interactions can prove beneficial for human handlers, and adapting cue reactivity research on addiction to a field-based approach to understand how people interact with cues in naturalistic settings.

“I want the world back”: Pandemic loneliness, bodies, and places

“…In this analysis, we are particularly interested in how bodily movements make it possible to gear into others' bodily movements, things, and places. Our findings resonate with insights from neuroanthropology that show the importance of interactional practice in the constitution of a shared world (Dumas et al, 2010;Hasson et al, 2012;Lende et al, 2021). Importantly, bodily interaction does not necessarily imply "feelings-in-common."…”

Neuroanthropology of shamanic trance: a case study with a ritual specialist from Mexico

“…Furthermore, as proposed in the case of Candomblé, in Brazil ( Seligman, 2010 ), we understand that the healer (or shaman) represents a “self” that crosses mind–body interactions and that cultural practices can influence these interactions within healing dynamics. Therefore, as proposed by Lende et al (2021) , we realized an interdisciplinary methodological triangulation to link observations made in the field with evaluations from an experimental laboratory. In this way, a conceptual triangulation between anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience is possible to jointly interpret the results from three disciplinary approaches that denote the mental, physical, and social aspects of the phenomenon.…”

“…In this way, a conceptual triangulation between anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience is possible to jointly interpret the results from three disciplinary approaches that denote the mental, physical, and social aspects of the phenomenon. To complement our interpretation, we included what Lende et al (2021) call “Say” and “Do,” that is, Say, which corresponds to the participant’s explanations, in their own words, about how they interpret what happens and why, and Do, which corresponds to the practices performed in specific contexts.…”

From Meditation to Techno-Mindfulness: On the Medicalization of Contemplative Practices and Future Prospects

“…At this point, the process of transculturation of mindfulness within the techno-medical sphere opens up possibilities for the continued technicist evolution I have outlined in this study. In light of future research projects on this topic, the neuroanthropological perspective (see Lende et al 2021) should intervene as well in research on the subject, as we can expect a significant influence of neuroscience and technology guided by these studies in the development of technologyintegrated meditation and AI.…”