A "social mind" refers to the idea that there are many social and cultural factors that are interacting with the potentialities of the brain. The central idea behind this concept is that the sources of knowledge and modes of learning are collectively produced.

Neuroscientist Terrence Deacon for example maintains that the development of symbolic representation was a key factor in the evolution of the human brain. Developing a shared idea of the meaning of a symbol is essentially a social process. Children for example, pick on the impressions they get from symbols they are exposed to. While the association might be different at first, the shared meanings slowly develop, and knowledge is built. Had this been a solely individualistic process, the development of shared meaning, and eventually communication within communities would have been impossible.

Wegner's theories on the "communities of practice" strongly support the above idea. Wagner maintains that learning occurs primarily through social participation. We belong to several communities of practice- whether it is through families or schools, or other communities we are a part of. In fact, we are born into a community of practice (family and culture) that shape our learning and outlook on life. Learning, therefore, does not happen in isolation, and within the context of these communities. Learning and development is both overtly and covertly collaborative, and thus intelligence is a constant negotiation between the individual and the collective.

Works Cited

Wenger, Etienne. 1998. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 4, 6, 86, 102, 134, 136–7. || Amazon || WorldCat

Deacon, Terrence W. 1997. The Symbolic Species: The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain. New York: W.W. Norton. pp. 21–23, 66, 79–82, 321–322, 334–336. || Amazon || WorldCat