Original language | American English |
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Title of host publication | The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology |
Editors | Hillary Callan, Simon Coleman |
Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781118924396 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780470657225 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2018 |
Abstract (may include machine translation)
The term “embodied cognition” refers to a conglomerate of theories and research that share the assumption that the body and its sensorimotor abilities are central to understanding the nature of cognition. Different approaches stress the role of the natural and cultural environment in which cognitive processes take place, the action-guiding role of cognition, or the grounding of concepts in sensorimotor experiences. By combining a focus on the body and interactions with the environment with questions about cognitive mechanisms, embodied cognition promises a rapprochement between anthropology and cognitive science. This is reflected in research on the social and distributed nature of memory as well as in investigations into joint practices and the cultural transmission of skilled action.