3 - Mindless versus mindful sociology: Models of mind in sociology and the social sciences
Corresponding Author(s) : Ken Jubber
African Sociological Review,
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2001): African Sociological Review
Abstract
This article deals with the dominant mode! of mind implicit or explicit in many of the social
sciences and sociology. Following the lead of evolu tionary psychologists John Tooby and Leda
Cosmides, this dominant the ory of mind is referred to as the 'Standard Social Science Madel'.
This mode! is described and a short history of it provided. A brief explanation for ifs dominance
is also offered. The paper argues that this mode! is now obsolete and that scientific progress in
sociology and the social science is being hampered byadherence toit. The major shortcomings f the
mode! are identified. An alternate mode[ of mind, the 'Integrated Mode!', is ojfered asa
scientifically sounder one that offers sociology and the social sciences a wayout of the rut they
are currently in. The mainfeatures of the Integrated Mode! are discussed and the paper concludes
with the promise that the mode! holds for sociology and the social sciences ifït is adopted.
Keywords
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- Archer, M. 2000. Being Human: The Problem of Agency. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Aron, R. 1970. Main Currents in Sociological Thought 2: Pareto, Weber, Durkheim Harmondsworth: Penguin.
- Barkow, J.H., L. Cosmides and J. Tooby, 1992. The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Berger, P. L. and T. Luckmann 1967. The Social Construction of Reality. London: Penguin Press.
- Boas, F. 1982 [1940) Race, Language and Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds). 1991. The Epigenesis ofMind: Essays on Biology and Cognition.
- Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Chomsky, N. 1957. Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton.
- Cosmides, L., J. Tooby and J.H. Barkow.1992. Introduction: Evolutionary Psychology and Conceptual Integrations. InBarkow, J.H.,L. Cosmides & J. Tooby (1992) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp 3-15.
- Dawkins, R. 1986. The Blind Watchmaker. New York: Norton.
- Fox, R. 1975 [1968]. Encounter with Anthropology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. Geertz, C. 1973.
- The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books.
- Gelman, R. 1991. 'Epigenetic Foundations of.Knowledge Structures: Initial and Transcendent Constructions'. In Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds) The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition. Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. Pp. 293-322.
- Gould, S. J. and P. Marier 1987. 'Leaming by Instinct'. Scientific American, 256:74-85.
- Karmiloff-Smith, A 1992. Beyond Modularity. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Levi-Strauss, 1972.
- Structural Anthropology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Lowie, [1917) 1966. Culture and Ethnology. New York: Basic books.
- Marler, P. 1992. 'The Instinct to Leam'. In Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds) The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition. Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. Pp. 37-66.
- Montagu, A. 1968. Man and Aggression. New York: Oxford University Press. Pinker, S. 1998. How the Mind Works. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
- Rorty, R. 1989. Contingency, Irony and Solidarity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Sahlins, M. D. Culture and Practical Reason. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
- Segal, G. 'The Modularity ofTheory ofMind'. In P. Carruthers and P. K. Smith (eds) Theories of Theories of Mind. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp 141-157.
- Spelke, E. 1991. 'Physical Knowledge in Infancy: Reflections on Piaget's Theory'. ln Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds) The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition. Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. Pp. 133-170.
- Tooby, J. and L. Cosmides. 1992. 'The Psychological Foundations of Culture'. In Barkow, J.H., L. Cosmides & J. Tooby (1992) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture.
- Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp 19-136.
- Watson, J. B. 1930[1924). Behaviourism. (rev. ed.) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Watson, J. B. 1967[1914]. Behaviour: An Introduction to Comparative Psychology.
- New York: Henry Holt Wrong, D. 1961. 'The Oversocialized Conception of Man in Modem Sociology' American Sociological Review, 26:183-193.
References
Archer, M. 2000. Being Human: The Problem of Agency. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Aron, R. 1970. Main Currents in Sociological Thought 2: Pareto, Weber, Durkheim Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Barkow, J.H., L. Cosmides and J. Tooby, 1992. The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Berger, P. L. and T. Luckmann 1967. The Social Construction of Reality. London: Penguin Press.
Boas, F. 1982 [1940) Race, Language and Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds). 1991. The Epigenesis ofMind: Essays on Biology and Cognition.
Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Chomsky, N. 1957. Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton.
Cosmides, L., J. Tooby and J.H. Barkow.1992. Introduction: Evolutionary Psychology and Conceptual Integrations. InBarkow, J.H.,L. Cosmides & J. Tooby (1992) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp 3-15.
Dawkins, R. 1986. The Blind Watchmaker. New York: Norton.
Fox, R. 1975 [1968]. Encounter with Anthropology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. Geertz, C. 1973.
The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books.
Gelman, R. 1991. 'Epigenetic Foundations of.Knowledge Structures: Initial and Transcendent Constructions'. In Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds) The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition. Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. Pp. 293-322.
Gould, S. J. and P. Marier 1987. 'Leaming by Instinct'. Scientific American, 256:74-85.
Karmiloff-Smith, A 1992. Beyond Modularity. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Levi-Strauss, 1972.
Structural Anthropology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Lowie, [1917) 1966. Culture and Ethnology. New York: Basic books.
Marler, P. 1992. 'The Instinct to Leam'. In Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds) The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition. Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. Pp. 37-66.
Montagu, A. 1968. Man and Aggression. New York: Oxford University Press. Pinker, S. 1998. How the Mind Works. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Rorty, R. 1989. Contingency, Irony and Solidarity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sahlins, M. D. Culture and Practical Reason. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Segal, G. 'The Modularity ofTheory ofMind'. In P. Carruthers and P. K. Smith (eds) Theories of Theories of Mind. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp 141-157.
Spelke, E. 1991. 'Physical Knowledge in Infancy: Reflections on Piaget's Theory'. ln Carey, S. and R. Gelman (eds) The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition. Hilldal, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. Pp. 133-170.
Tooby, J. and L. Cosmides. 1992. 'The Psychological Foundations of Culture'. In Barkow, J.H., L. Cosmides & J. Tooby (1992) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture.
Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp 19-136.
Watson, J. B. 1930[1924). Behaviourism. (rev. ed.) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Watson, J. B. 1967[1914]. Behaviour: An Introduction to Comparative Psychology.
New York: Henry Holt Wrong, D. 1961. 'The Oversocialized Conception of Man in Modem Sociology' American Sociological Review, 26:183-193.