From Weber and Durkheim to neurosciences
Neurosociology
Neuroscience is viewed by a range of actors and institutions as a powerful means of creating new knowledge about our selves and societies. In 1972 the neurosurgeon Bogen and the sociologist TenHouten coined the term "neurosociology". Bogen, who had worked with Gazzaniga, referred to a consluence of neurologica and sociologic observations. In spite already at the beginning of the Century some connections between neurosciences and sociology were found in the so called "sociobiology" and "social neurosceince", neurosociology is something different. Neurosociology and social neuroscience can be seen as complimentary to each other. Once again, neurosociology diverges from time-honored academic traditions, in this case shedding what T. D. Kemper referred to as our fortress mentality. Ironically to some, this complimentarity can only be achieved efficiently by being very clear about the units of analysis that distinguish the disciplines. This would be an interactional unit of analysis in sociology and an individual one in psychology. G. H. Mead’s role-taking and his four-staged theory of the act exemplifies the more voluntaristic sociological unit of analysis while learning theory, applicable to all mammals, distinguishes the psychological one. The lack of connections between micro and macro processes analysis is also the product of the separation of academic fields, as shown talking about consciousness. In a way it is a kind of difficult arto to build interdisciplinary bridges.
© Copyright by Prof. Antonio Virgili
Neuroscience is viewed by a range of actors and institutions as a powerful means of creating new knowledge about our selves and societies. In 1972 the neurosurgeon Bogen and the sociologist TenHouten coined the term "neurosociology". Bogen, who had worked with Gazzaniga, referred to a consluence of neurologica and sociologic observations. In spite already at the beginning of the Century some connections between neurosciences and sociology were found in the so called "sociobiology" and "social neurosceince", neurosociology is something different. Neurosociology and social neuroscience can be seen as complimentary to each other. Once again, neurosociology diverges from time-honored academic traditions, in this case shedding what T. D. Kemper referred to as our fortress mentality. Ironically to some, this complimentarity can only be achieved efficiently by being very clear about the units of analysis that distinguish the disciplines. This would be an interactional unit of analysis in sociology and an individual one in psychology. G. H. Mead’s role-taking and his four-staged theory of the act exemplifies the more voluntaristic sociological unit of analysis while learning theory, applicable to all mammals, distinguishes the psychological one. The lack of connections between micro and macro processes analysis is also the product of the separation of academic fields, as shown talking about consciousness. In a way it is a kind of difficult arto to build interdisciplinary bridges.
© Copyright by Prof. Antonio Virgili
