Leonard Talmy

The Cognitive Culture System

Monist 78. 1 (Jan, 1995): 80 (35 pages).

Abstract
Cultural cognitivism suggests that cognitive organization in individuals is the primary locus of culture. Cultural acquisition, exercise, and transmission are functions of an innate cognitive system, which accounts for structural commonalities across different cultures. Cultural acquisition involves processes such as identifying relevant social groups, evaluating their behavioral patterns and accommodating incompatible patterns. Cultural cognition includes processes of categorization, differentiation, abstraction, and approval/disapproval. Other characteristics, evidence for cognitivism, and contrasts with other theories are also discussed.