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What the Book Explores

In Acts of Meaning, Jerome Bruner argues for a “cultural psychology” that centers on the human capacity for meaning-making through narrative. He challenges the computational view of the mind that emerged from the cognitive revolution, suggesting that it stripped psychology of the very things that make humans unique: intentionality, culture, and the construction of shared meaning. Bruner explores the concept of “folk psychology,” the system of beliefs and desires that people use to interpret their own and others’ actions. He posits that humans have a natural predisposition toward “narrative mode” of thought, which is distinct from the logical-scientific mode and is essential for establishing our place in a cultural world.

Historical / Cultural Context

Published in 1990, the book reflects Bruner’s self-critique of the earlier cognitive revolution he helped lead. He felt that the field had become overly focused on information processing (the computer metaphor) and had neglected the role of culture in shaping the human mind. This work was part of a broader “interpretive turn” in the social sciences, emphasizing that human behavior cannot be understood in isolation from the symbolic systems of the culture in which it is embedded. Bruner’s influence on education, developmental psychology, and legal theory is rooted in this insistence on the narrative foundation of human knowledge.

Who This Book Is For

This work is intended for readers interested in cultural psychology, philosophy of mind, linguistics, and education. It appeals to those who are curious about how stories shape our identity and our understanding of reality. Academics in the humanities and social sciences will find it a compelling defense of the importance of narrative and symbol in the human experience.

Further Reading

• Bruner, J. (1986). Actual Minds, Possible Worlds.
• Polkinghorne, D. E. (1988). Narrative Knowing and the Human Sciences.

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