Extended Mind and Embodied Social Psychology: Historical Perspectives

Authors :: Shalin, Dmitri N.
Source :: Society. April, 2017, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p171, 16 p.
Publication Year :: 2017
Abstract: This study traces the evolution of a research program that frames the human mind as an embodied social phenomenon. The essay is divided into two parts, the first one focused on historical issues, the second on contemporary developments. The discussion begins with the mind-body problem central to the scholarship in this area and then focuses the changing perspective on consciousness as a symbolically mediated process. Next, the paper surveys the relevant writings of Mead and Vygotsky, tracks the debate about the place of body in interactionist sociology, and connects this debate to current research in neuroscience. The report concludes with reflections on the prospects for embodied sociology and the contribution it can make to the debate about extended mind.<br />Author(s): Dmitri N. Shalin [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 0806 6926grid.272362.0Department of Sociology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy, 89154, Las Vegas, NV, USA Two centuries [...]