What does Mentifact mean?
Definitions for Mentifact
men·tifact
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Mentifact.
Wikipedia
mentifact
A cultural trait is a single identifiable material or non-material element within a culture, and is conceivable as an object in itself.Similar traits can be grouped together as components, or subsystems of culture; the terms sociofact and mentifact (or psychofact) were coined by biologist Julian Huxley as two of three subsystems of culture—the third being artifacts—to describe the way in which cultural traits take on a life of their own, spanning over generations.In other words, cultural traits can be categorized into three interrelated components: Artifacts — the objects, material items, and technologies created by a culture, or simply, things people make. They provide basic necessities, recreation, entertainment, and most of the things that make life easier for people. Examples include clothing, food, and shelter. Sociofacts — interpersonal interactions and social structures; i.e., the structures and organizations of a culture that influence social behaviour. This includes families, governments, education systems, religious groups, etc. Mentifact (or psychofact) — abstract concepts, or "things in the head;" i.e., the shared ideas, values, and beliefs of a culture. This can include religion, language, and ideas.Moreover, sociofacts are considered by some to be mentifacts that have been shared through artifacts. This formulation has been related to memetics and the memetic concept of culture. These concepts have been useful to anthropologists in refining the definition of culture.
ChatGPT
mentifact
A mentifact refers to the non-material aspects of a culture, including beliefs, thoughts, ideas, values, and behavior patterns that are transmitted from one generation to another through language, education, and socialization. Mentifacts are considered the intangible elements of a culture that shape people's thoughts, emotions, and worldview, influencing their behavior and societal norms. Examples of mentifacts include religious beliefs, political ideologies, moral principles, and artistic expressions.
Wikidata
Mentifact
Mentifact is a term coined by Sir Julian Sorell Huxley, used together with the related terms "sociofact" and "artifact" to describe how cultural traits, such as "beliefs, values, ideas," take on a life of their own spanning over generations, and are conceivable as objects in themselves. This concept has been useful to anthropologists in refining the definition of culture. For instance, Edward Tylor, the first academic anthropologist, included both artifacts and such abstract concepts as kinship systems as elements of culture. Anthropologist Robert Aunger explains that such an inclusive definition ends up encouraging poor anthropological practice because "it becomes difficult to distinguish what exactly is not part of culture." Aunger goes on to explain that after the cognitive revolution in the social sciences in the 1960s, there is "considerable agreement" among anthropologists that a mentifactual analysis, one that assumes that culture consists of "things in the head", is the most appropriate way to define the concept of culture.
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of Mentifact in Chaldean Numerology is: 8
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of Mentifact in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1
Translations for Mentifact
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
Get even more translations for Mentifact »
Translation
Find a translation for the Mentifact definition in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Mentifact." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Mentifact>.
Discuss these Mentifact definitions with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In