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The Culture of Education
What we don't know about learning could fill a book--and it might be a schoolbook. In a masterly commentary on the possibilities of education, the eminent psychologist Jerome Bruner reveals how education can usher children into their culture, though it often fails to do so. Applying the newly emerging "cultural psychology" to education, Bruner proposes that the mind reaches its full potential only through participation in the culture--not just its more formal arts and sciences, but its ways of perceiving, thinking, feeling, and carrying out discourse. By examining both educational practice and educational theory, Bruner explores new and rich ways of approaching many of the classical problems that perplex educators.
Education, Bruner reminds us, cannot be reduced to mere information processing, sorting knowledge into categories. Its objective is to help learners construct meanings, not simply to manage information. Meaning making requires an understanding of the ways of one's culture--whether the subject in question is social studies, literature, or science. "The Culture of Education" makes a forceful case for the importance of narrative as an instrument of meaning making. An embodiment of culture, narrative permits us to understand the present, the past, and the humanly possible in a uniquely human way.
Going well beyond his earlier acclaimed books on education, Bruner looks past the issue of achieving individual competence to the question of how education equips individuals to participate in the culture on which life and livelihood depend. Educators, psychologists, and students of mind and culture will find in this volume an unsettling criticism that challenges our currentconventional practices--as well as a wise vision that charts a direction for the future.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1990
About the author
Jerome Bruner
116 books85 followersJerome Seymour Bruner, Ph.D. (Harvard University, 1941; B.A., Duke University, 1937), was an psychologist predominately in the fields of developmental, educational, and legal psychology, and was one of the pioneers of the cognitive psychology movement in the United States. During World War II, Bruner served on the Psychological Warfare Division of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force Europe committee under Eisenhower, researching social psychological phenomena.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 15, 2014
This book, perhaps very similar to Ulrich Neisser's "Cognition and Reality", represents an important critique of where Cognitive Psychology is today and its inherent limits (whereas Neisser frames his critique more in terms of issues regarding goal-oriented behaviour, Bruner's "Acts of Meaning" is framed in terms of the mind's conceptual understanding of the world, or the problem of meaning). Although the book was published in 1990, its message is still fresh and incredibly relevant! The book is a defence of a new kind of psychology. A psychology that is culturally informed, a psychology that regards narratives as valid units of analysis, a psychology that is no longer charmed by the hypes of logical positivism, a psychology that does not require to model itself after the physical or biological sciences.
Whatever the Cognitive Revolution was, it somehow convinced the majority of the community to regard the human mind as an information processing system. The units of analysis in this framework often are perceptual properties, perceptual biases, acts of memory, motor responses, and concepts that are activated, evaluated, and so forth. According to Bruner, this framework does not do justice to the human mind. The proper psychology is one that tackles the issue of meaning. If meaning is examined adequately, we arrive at the undeniable significance of narratives as units of analysis in their own right. A lot of what Bruner goes through could be regarded as argument for the metaphysical validity of narratives - narratives are real and they are irreducible.
There are consequences to Bruner's proposal. Namely, an appreciation of the narrative quality of the human experience, in turn, leads to the appreciation of the concept of Self (or what Dennett refers to as the center of narrative gravity), because stories are not self-less. Examining self, in turn, gives rise to understanding intersubjectivity, as well as the continuity of personal identity (in its connection to culture and other people). These are topics that many Cognitive Psychologists do not concern themselves with. And for this very reason, the relevance of Cognitive Psychology is decreasing rapidly. The world that the Cognitive Psychologist describes today is not a world people know and find themselves in. As Bruner recalls Adrienne Rich's sentiment, "when someone with the authority of a teacher, say, describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing." Yes, I look at the world as the mainstream Cognitive Psychologist describes it. And I am not in it.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the history of modern experimental psychology, or with an interest in the world of narratives (especially chapter 4), as well as anyone who is an active participant in the community of Cognitive Psychology research.
Whatever the Cognitive Revolution was, it somehow convinced the majority of the community to regard the human mind as an information processing system. The units of analysis in this framework often are perceptual properties, perceptual biases, acts of memory, motor responses, and concepts that are activated, evaluated, and so forth. According to Bruner, this framework does not do justice to the human mind. The proper psychology is one that tackles the issue of meaning. If meaning is examined adequately, we arrive at the undeniable significance of narratives as units of analysis in their own right. A lot of what Bruner goes through could be regarded as argument for the metaphysical validity of narratives - narratives are real and they are irreducible.
There are consequences to Bruner's proposal. Namely, an appreciation of the narrative quality of the human experience, in turn, leads to the appreciation of the concept of Self (or what Dennett refers to as the center of narrative gravity), because stories are not self-less. Examining self, in turn, gives rise to understanding intersubjectivity, as well as the continuity of personal identity (in its connection to culture and other people). These are topics that many Cognitive Psychologists do not concern themselves with. And for this very reason, the relevance of Cognitive Psychology is decreasing rapidly. The world that the Cognitive Psychologist describes today is not a world people know and find themselves in. As Bruner recalls Adrienne Rich's sentiment, "when someone with the authority of a teacher, say, describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing." Yes, I look at the world as the mainstream Cognitive Psychologist describes it. And I am not in it.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the history of modern experimental psychology, or with an interest in the world of narratives (especially chapter 4), as well as anyone who is an active participant in the community of Cognitive Psychology research.
January 23, 2009
This collection of four highly-literate essays by the developmental psychologist Jerome Bruner is a centerpiece of narrative psychology, which uses tools of narrative analysis to examine human cognition in terms of meaning. I have reread this book several times and never fail to take new levels of insight away from it.
January 19, 2011
I'm not sure why anyone would pick this book up unless they are researching Social Reconstruction Ideology or the psychology of qualitative/narrative versus quantitative research. Bruner spends a lot of time defending the importance of culture when interpretting and conveying meaning. Although he tries to conceptualize his stance in a way that the "everyman" can understand, there were several passages that were simply over my head. All in all, however, his argument in a nut shell is that culture plays an integral role in our knowledge, intelligence, perception, and reactions. He says that we cannot have scientific "absolutes" without taking all of the factors into consideration. In fact, he puts the two mindsets into separate categories of computationalism and culturalism.
Computationalism:
1. orderly
2. linear, sequencial
3.objective
4. unbias
5. concrete knowledge (pi=3.14, or whatever)
Culturalism
1. relies on meaning making
2. fluid/evolving
3. subjective
4. man-man
5. social
6. ambiguity
7. bia
Bruner explains that culurualism is messy, which is why computationaists resist its importance; however, he explains throughout the text its importance to provide a holistic view of a topic.
Computationalism:
1. orderly
2. linear, sequencial
3.objective
4. unbias
5. concrete knowledge (pi=3.14, or whatever)
Culturalism
1. relies on meaning making
2. fluid/evolving
3. subjective
4. man-man
5. social
6. ambiguity
7. bia
Bruner explains that culurualism is messy, which is why computationaists resist its importance; however, he explains throughout the text its importance to provide a holistic view of a topic.
Read
May 5, 2026Notes on his main points/claims:
- The cognitive revolution's initial impulse was to look at internal states rather than behavior, but this was quickly diverted away by focus on "information processing"
- The central object of human psychology is construction of *meaning* which has to be studied wrt symbols within a culture; cultural psychology
- He thinks that this meaning is narrative. A part of his description of narrative that stood out to me is that it's sort of a "diff" between norms and actual events: highlighting the things that are special or different. There'd be no point of telling a story if it was something completely known and expected/assumed by everyone.
- Along that line, narrative's purpose is to explain and understand deviations from the "normal" human condition. He claims this is what has helped humans to survive and thrive as a species, by constructing stories to understand and cooperate with each other. (maybe where this is failing, think about thinkpieces on "male loneliness epidemic" in trying to understand US' recent rightwards shift)
- Also, narrative is concrete and specific. it's not a logical proposition: you have to use *interpretation* to understand what it means.
- (in my own words) The anglo-american urge to "formalize" meaning using logical propositions that require a whole harness of abstract concepts to "verify" basically distills out the very thing that psychologists are actually interested in: the human meaning. throwing out baby w/ bathwater.
- He makes a really crazy claim that grammar is developed as an instrument in being able to communicate with others. ppl don't just learn phonemes to memorize them, they learn phonemes to be able to say words. Similarly, people don't just.. develop grammar, they learn it in order to be able to communicate "you give me item".
- Final chapter on autobiography is cool, they literally just interviewed a bunch of people in a family about their life stories; self is mediated by interactions w/ others and all that. Made me remember how complex just one person's life story is, on the level of psychology not even "computation," and how I really need to start respecting narrative a lot more. Especially now that people are trying to grant selfhood to LLMs.
- The cognitive revolution's initial impulse was to look at internal states rather than behavior, but this was quickly diverted away by focus on "information processing"
- The central object of human psychology is construction of *meaning* which has to be studied wrt symbols within a culture; cultural psychology
- He thinks that this meaning is narrative. A part of his description of narrative that stood out to me is that it's sort of a "diff" between norms and actual events: highlighting the things that are special or different. There'd be no point of telling a story if it was something completely known and expected/assumed by everyone.
- Along that line, narrative's purpose is to explain and understand deviations from the "normal" human condition. He claims this is what has helped humans to survive and thrive as a species, by constructing stories to understand and cooperate with each other. (maybe where this is failing, think about thinkpieces on "male loneliness epidemic" in trying to understand US' recent rightwards shift)
- Also, narrative is concrete and specific. it's not a logical proposition: you have to use *interpretation* to understand what it means.
- (in my own words) The anglo-american urge to "formalize" meaning using logical propositions that require a whole harness of abstract concepts to "verify" basically distills out the very thing that psychologists are actually interested in: the human meaning. throwing out baby w/ bathwater.
- He makes a really crazy claim that grammar is developed as an instrument in being able to communicate with others. ppl don't just learn phonemes to memorize them, they learn phonemes to be able to say words. Similarly, people don't just.. develop grammar, they learn it in order to be able to communicate "you give me item".
- Final chapter on autobiography is cool, they literally just interviewed a bunch of people in a family about their life stories; self is mediated by interactions w/ others and all that. Made me remember how complex just one person's life story is, on the level of psychology not even "computation," and how I really need to start respecting narrative a lot more. Especially now that people are trying to grant selfhood to LLMs.
April 18, 2014
A great book on education written in a beautiful language Bruner is well-known for.
March 14, 2019
This is quite a brilliant book. It highlights the problem with the cognitive revolution and how it moved away from everything that inspired it, while attempting to go back to those roots using cultural psychology, folk psychology, and the concept of narratives to guide the way.
The cognitive revolution was supposed to help us understand the reality of our experience. It was supposed to elevate us to a point where we saw the world around us more clearly. Unfortunately, it started developing more rigid forms of what is considered progress in the field of psychology. It became more scientific, but in the process alienated the general population from the potential impact of the material it studies; us.
To draw a picture: Instead of elevating us to see the land in which we experience things more clearly, cognitive psychologists have built mountains that only the most dedicated of hikers can maneuver. Sadly, once the hiker's on top, they can no longer even see what we on land are experiencing. This is were Jerome Bruner comes to play.
He attempts to bring psychology down to earth. He brings out a lot of interesting ideas and notions that can open gates for us to get to a "better psychology". I found the third chapter with its developmental psychology to be truly fascinating. At a point I had to stop and jump around my flat with excitement over his ideas (Something my flatmates found to be odd).
I have 2 complaints though. One, there is something about the way this book is written that I found to be oddly distracting and annoying. The flow of arguments is sometimes incoherent. Two, the expression of those arguments -or the questions he's trying to answer- is vague at many points.
The cognitive revolution was supposed to help us understand the reality of our experience. It was supposed to elevate us to a point where we saw the world around us more clearly. Unfortunately, it started developing more rigid forms of what is considered progress in the field of psychology. It became more scientific, but in the process alienated the general population from the potential impact of the material it studies; us.
To draw a picture: Instead of elevating us to see the land in which we experience things more clearly, cognitive psychologists have built mountains that only the most dedicated of hikers can maneuver. Sadly, once the hiker's on top, they can no longer even see what we on land are experiencing. This is were Jerome Bruner comes to play.
He attempts to bring psychology down to earth. He brings out a lot of interesting ideas and notions that can open gates for us to get to a "better psychology". I found the third chapter with its developmental psychology to be truly fascinating. At a point I had to stop and jump around my flat with excitement over his ideas (Something my flatmates found to be odd).
I have 2 complaints though. One, there is something about the way this book is written that I found to be oddly distracting and annoying. The flow of arguments is sometimes incoherent. Two, the expression of those arguments -or the questions he's trying to answer- is vague at many points.
April 26, 2019
One of the key texts in fleshing out an understanding of Homo technologicus ... Bruner’s insistence is that human thought is irreducibly complex, more than computational, ineluctably both autobiographical and social, and, much of the time, about as far from being rational as it’s possible to get. Which is just fine, because the world isn’t generally “rational” either.
It’s a demanding, poetic, nebulous read - Bruner clearly wants to enjoin the reader in some actual thinking or, to use the language of human technologies, to oblige her to switch from her standard cognitive gadgetry. In his erudite and compelling company it’s worth the effort.
It’s a demanding, poetic, nebulous read - Bruner clearly wants to enjoin the reader in some actual thinking or, to use the language of human technologies, to oblige her to switch from her standard cognitive gadgetry. In his erudite and compelling company it’s worth the effort.
October 24, 2017
*sighs in Bruner*
Me mandaron este libro para clase y aunque más o menos he sido constante al principio me resultaba muy denso, pero al final me he acostumbrado y ha acabado gustándome y todo.
Me ha impactado sobre todo, la primera parte del último capítulo. La idea del Yo como un enjambre de participaciones, me ha servido para pensar en algunas cosas personales y creo que lo tendré en cuenta a partir de ahora.
Adiós, Bruner, se echarán de menos tus enrevesamientos.
Me mandaron este libro para clase y aunque más o menos he sido constante al principio me resultaba muy denso, pero al final me he acostumbrado y ha acabado gustándome y todo.
Me ha impactado sobre todo, la primera parte del último capítulo. La idea del Yo como un enjambre de participaciones, me ha servido para pensar en algunas cosas personales y creo que lo tendré en cuenta a partir de ahora.
Adiós, Bruner, se echarán de menos tus enrevesamientos.
April 4, 2019
First half of the book: 4 stars.
Bruner explains in a clear and concise way the importance of a new revolution in psychology, that should put meaning again in its center.
Second half of the book: 2 stars.
The way he introduces narrative as the structure seems a bit forced, especially when he starts analysing children's acquisition of language.
Total: 3 stars.
Suggestion: Read the first half!
Bruner explains in a clear and concise way the importance of a new revolution in psychology, that should put meaning again in its center.
Second half of the book: 2 stars.
The way he introduces narrative as the structure seems a bit forced, especially when he starts analysing children's acquisition of language.
Total: 3 stars.
Suggestion: Read the first half!
February 8, 2024
A fantastic case against the Cognitive Revolution. Bruner’s arguments against the psychology of “stimuli” and “information processing” while placing man and his narrative, symbolic, and cultural self at the center of the social science is a brilliant take on how man should really be studied psychologically. He also argues we have an innate narrative predisposition and that we narrativize our lives as parts of our selves. To remove the narrative is to dehumanize humanity. Great read.
September 6, 2023
El libro pone sobre laesa una crítica a la revolución cognitiva que terminó por abandonar los procesos involucrados en la creación de significados para limitarse al procesamiento de la información. La propuesta de Bruner es un regreso de la psicología cognitiva a su ala.más sociocultural teniendo la narración como una forma de pensamiento
October 3, 2026
1990 publication with insight : Introduction of computation resulting in a Cognitive shift from a search for meaning to an emphasis on processing information! "Such a system deals with meaning in it's dictionary sense only. It cannot cope with vagueness or metaphoric or connotative connections. " Thus a framework for understanding some of the mysteries of 2026.
July 20, 2025
Non semplicissimo senza basi di psicologia, ma non basta. C'è la filosofia di Ricoeur, la teoria letteraria di Aristotele e Auerbach, la semiotica di Peirce. È un lavoro quasi interdisciplinare per delineare le caratteristiche del pensiero narrativo.
November 15, 2018
Interesante construcción del yo como un dispositivo social que se basa en la narración como principal herramienta para procesar el mundo.
August 10, 2021
Project Communication #9
November 7, 2023
This was very useful for my thesis 🥰
August 27, 2024
salvou o meu pibic, te amo jerome
December 2, 2024
I still have my heavily-inked copy from when I read this in graduate school many years ago. It made a profound impact on my understanding of narrative and its restorative powers.
to-keep-reference
November 3, 2026El trabajo de Bruner se comenta acá.
February 22, 2017
Bruner challenges the shift in Psychology from meaning to data. He argues that narrative is the mechanism by which we form identity. I am looking forward to reading the rest of his work.
May 22, 2013
Bruner is enormously thought provoking. This 1990 text makes the relationship between the standards movement and UBD's focus on 'big ideas' that endure, to structuralism very clear. I had never really made the link between Chomsky et al. and the 'standards' we have at UWCSEA, but that idea of fundamental organising structures that are inherent to understanding is not culturally neutral, and definitely starts life with Bruner applying structuralism to learning.
Chapter Three 'Entry into Meaning' is the fullest exploration of our standard about 'Humans make sense of the world through story' I have found, and is really engaging. Being able to link this up with structuralism and the work of say a Steven Pinker makes it even more powerful.
The idea that learning has a natural 'grammar' and that it is socially constructed is a powerful rationale for the curriculum work at UWC.
Chapter Three 'Entry into Meaning' is the fullest exploration of our standard about 'Humans make sense of the world through story' I have found, and is really engaging. Being able to link this up with structuralism and the work of say a Steven Pinker makes it even more powerful.
The idea that learning has a natural 'grammar' and that it is socially constructed is a powerful rationale for the curriculum work at UWC.
July 4, 2019
Bruner warns early that this is not an education-education book, but there is good stuff here. His thesis: education has a distinct cultural basis, and we can’t ignore the prevailing culture when educating.
December 7, 2007
I read this for my BA thesis in social anthro. It was certainly interesting, but not as good as some of the other books on cognition that I've read (like Solsa's).
September 22, 2013
While this book represents the worst kind of academic reading, by the end of it Bruner makes several strong points.
June 13, 2015
Central book from Bruner on the topic of narrative as mind information organization.
December 23, 2016
Old study by an outstanding scholar - but not his best work.
Read
November 6, 2017Read most of it, not going to finish
October 28, 2018
This book shows a collection of essays were written by academics. I find it a nice in which teachers remember their steps in establishing their career.
Read
May 29, 2018structurlism studies
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews