Figurative Cultures

Abstract

The term figurative , as it pertains to culture, was first used by Margaret Mead to describe the process of cultures preparing for the future and adapting to change. According to Mead, how this process transpires varies with the rate of cultural change. Because cultures may change either imperceptibly, moderately quickly, or extremely rapidly, three types of cultures are proposed: postfigurative, cofigurative and prefigurative, respectively. In all cases, three generations (children, parents, and grandparents) are assumed to be needed to learn to adapt to environmental variations; however, which generation provides the model for dealing with the future will differ as the pace of cultural change escalates.