Abstract
Cultural systems vary widely across the world. Partly this is due to different cultures' occupying different ecological and environmental niches. But partly it is due to similar circumstances giving rise to multiple stable equilibriums, each with a distinct cultural form. Using insights and examples from various fields, this article illustrates the way that multiple equilibriums can emerge and the forces that push a culture toward one equilibrium point or another. Considerations of game theory principles, mutual interdependence, historical circumstance, dependence on initial conditions, and crucial choice points are highlighted in discussing the ways humans create and re-create their culture. Cultural traits develop within physical, social, intracultural, and intercultural niches, and implications of this for how culture might be studied and the benefits of combining an "equilibrium" perspective and a "meaning" perspective are discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 451-471 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Psychological bulletin |
| Volume | 127 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2001 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
Cultural variation : Considerations and implications. / Cohen, Dov.
In: Psychological bulletin, Vol. 127, No. 4, 07.2001, p. 451-471.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Cultural variation
T2 - Considerations and implications
AU - Cohen, Dov
PY - 2001/7
Y1 - 2001/7
N2 - Cultural systems vary widely across the world. Partly this is due to different cultures' occupying different ecological and environmental niches. But partly it is due to similar circumstances giving rise to multiple stable equilibriums, each with a distinct cultural form. Using insights and examples from various fields, this article illustrates the way that multiple equilibriums can emerge and the forces that push a culture toward one equilibrium point or another. Considerations of game theory principles, mutual interdependence, historical circumstance, dependence on initial conditions, and crucial choice points are highlighted in discussing the ways humans create and re-create their culture. Cultural traits develop within physical, social, intracultural, and intercultural niches, and implications of this for how culture might be studied and the benefits of combining an "equilibrium" perspective and a "meaning" perspective are discussed.
AB - Cultural systems vary widely across the world. Partly this is due to different cultures' occupying different ecological and environmental niches. But partly it is due to similar circumstances giving rise to multiple stable equilibriums, each with a distinct cultural form. Using insights and examples from various fields, this article illustrates the way that multiple equilibriums can emerge and the forces that push a culture toward one equilibrium point or another. Considerations of game theory principles, mutual interdependence, historical circumstance, dependence on initial conditions, and crucial choice points are highlighted in discussing the ways humans create and re-create their culture. Cultural traits develop within physical, social, intracultural, and intercultural niches, and implications of this for how culture might be studied and the benefits of combining an "equilibrium" perspective and a "meaning" perspective are discussed.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85047682160&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/0033-2909.127.4.451
DO - 10.1037/0033-2909.127.4.451
M3 - Article
C2 - 11439707
AN - SCOPUS:85047682160
VL - 127
SP - 451
EP - 471
JO - Psychological Bulletin
JF - Psychological Bulletin
SN - 0033-2909
IS - 4
ER -