The WILDMINDS project critically addresses a dominant approach to folk Theory of Mind (ToM). I argue that this approach has been culturally biased by the Western notion of the "mind." This approach centers on internal mental states and assumes a universal cognitive structure across cultures. However, this assumption often overlooks the rich diversity of how non-Western cultures conceptualize the “mind,” especially in societies where relations with human and non-human agents and the environment play a more central role. Animistic cultures like Mongolia do not necessarily share the Western exclusive focus on internal states. Instead, Mongolians widely employ the notion of "setgel," a complex concept that encapsulates internal cognitive states, as well as body, social feelings, and relationality. This project investigates the Mongolian notion of "setgel" to highlight the contrast with the Western cultural model of “mind”.
The project is designed to test the assumption that folk ToM is exclusively about internal, individual cognition. By providing a culturally embedded study of the Mongolian cultural model of the “setgel,” the project offers an alternative perspective that highlights the importance of social, ecological, and relational factors. This research has broad implications for models of social cognition but also, indirectly, for environmental policy. In Mongolia, where traditional animistic beliefs shape interactions with the natural world, understanding how the concept of "setgel" differs from Western cultural models can inform more culturally sensitive approaches to environmental management. By revealing how Mongolians attribute minds not only to humans but also to non-human entities and natural phenomena, WILDMINDS will contribute to anthropological, cross-cultural psychological research and cognitive science of religion, offering pathways for integrating culture into cognitive science. The project aims to produce empirical data that will push cognitive scientists to rethink the universality of folk theories of mind. It also seeks to explore whether the Mongolian cultural model of the “mind” is solely a result of cultural evolution or if it reflects deeper, universal cognitive features. By incorporating anthropology and psychology, WILDMINDS will provide innovative methods and insights into the intersection of culture and cognition.
WILDMINDS will have both scientific and societal impact. Scientifically, it will advance research that challenges the current Western-dominated frameworks in cognitive science, emphasizing the need to account for cultural variability in mental concepts. The interdisciplinary approach, blending anthropology and psychology, will yield new insights into how social cognition is shaped by culture. Societally, the findings could potentially contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how different cultures perceive and relate to their environment, providing valuable data for environmental policymakers in Mongolia and beyond.
