Theories of Embodied Knowledge: New Directions for Cultural and Cognitive Sociology?
Abstract
Sociological propositions about the workings of cognition are rarely specified or tested, but are of central relevance to studies of culture, social judgment, and social movements. This paper draws out lessons of recent work from sociological theory, cognitive science, psychology, and neuroscience on the embodied nature of knowledge and thought, and develops implications of these lessons for cultural and cognitive sociology. Knowledge ought to be conceived of as fundamentally embodied, because sensory information is a fundamental component of experience as it is stored in long‐term memory, and because bodily responses and intuitions often precede reflexive or strategic thought. I argue that the challenge of embodied knowledge for cultural sociology is threefold: to develop cultural theories of motivation; to specify the ways in which the body structures discourses endogenously; and to specify how embodied motivations and embodied discourses interact.
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CT forms a paradigmatic example of cultural and cognitive sociology that assumes the idea of transduction.
“Although Ignatow (2007, p. 120) does not mention Zerubavel's work in this context, it is clear that CT forms a paradigmatic example of 'cultural and cognitive sociology' that assumes the idea of transduction.”
From Two traditions of cognitive sociology: An analysis and assessment of their cognitive and methodological assumptions (2022) · cites this paper as Ignatow (2007)
Vaisey's (2009) and his followers' dual-process models and the idea of culturally variable embodied metaphor assume that groups of individuals have acquired or internalized the same implicit cultural schemas and embodied metaphors through social learning during cognitive development.
“Second, Vaisey's(2009) and his followers dual-process models of culture in action and the idea of culturally variable embodied metaphor (e.g. Ignatow,2007; Rotolo,2021; Winchester,2016) assume that groups of individuals have acquired or internalized the same implicit cultural schemas and embodied metaphors through social learning during their cognitive development.”
From Two traditions of cognitive sociology: An analysis and assessment of their cognitive and methodological assumptions (2022) · cites this paper as Ignatow,2007
Ignatow (2007) and Lizardo (2012, 2015) critiques have addressed limitations and problems in CT's accounts of cognitive processes.
“The limitations and problems in CT's accounts of cognitive processes have also been addressed in Ignatow's (2007) and Lizardo's (2012, 2015) critiques of the cognitive assumptions of CT or, more generally, what Lizardo (2015, p. 567) calls 'the classical theory of culture and cognition'.”
From Two traditions of cognitive sociology: An analysis and assessment of their cognitive and methodological assumptions (2022) · cites this paper as Ignatow (2007)
Cites
Embodiment in attitudes, social perception, and emotion
Niedenthal, P. M., Barsalou, L. W., Winkielman, P., Krauth-Gruber, S., & Ric, F. (2005) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr0903_1 · Cited by 1,484 · see citing works
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Motivation and justification: a dual process model of culture in action.
Vaisey, S. (2009) · American Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1086/597179 · Cited by 1,279 · see citing works
Patterson, O. (2014) · Annual Review of Sociology · doi:10.1146/annurev-soc-071913-043123 · Cited by 399 · see citing works
A Cognitive–Social Model of Fertility Intentions
Bachrach, C. A., & Morgan, S. P. (2013) · Population and Development Review · doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2013.00612.x · Cited by 259 · see citing works
Community Sense: The Cohesive Power of Aesthetic Judgment
Wohl, H. (2015) · Sociological Theory · doi:10.1177/0735275115617800 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Payne, H., & Brooks, S. (2018) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02222 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Kaidesoja, T., Hyyryläinen, M., & Puustinen, R. (2022) · Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour · doi:10.1111/jtsb.12341 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Second, Vaisey's (2009) and his followers dual-process models of culture in action and the idea of culturally variable embodied metaphor (e.g. Ignatow, 2007; Rotolo, 2021; Winchester, 2016) assume that groups of individuals have acquired or internalized the same implicit cultural schemas and…”
Background
- Authors
- IGNATOW, G.
- Venue
- Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-06
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 115-135
- ISSN
- 0021-8308 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-5914
- OpenAlex
- W2065159005
- Cited by
- 236
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 2.99
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Embodied and Extended Cognition
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › General Arts and Humanities › Corporeality, Perception, and Education
- Keywords
- embodied knowledge, embodied cognition, sociology of culture, cognitive sociology, social judgment, social movements, motivation, discourse, sensory input, long-term memory, sociology of knowledge
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