Mindset

Mentality (from Latin mens, the mind concerning ) indicates a predominant psychological predisposition in terms of thought and behavior patterns of a person or social group (eg, a population or occupational group ) and is also related to all nations. Cultural scientists try the mentality of so-called " cultural standards " to make writable. Their reliability is controversial because it can lead to stereotypes.

Scientifically, the term is mainly used in sociology and the history of mentalities.

The historian Peter Dinzelbacher gives the following definition: "Historical mentality is the ensemble of modes and content of thought and feeling, which is characteristic for a particular collective in a given time. Mentality manifests itself in actions. " The mentality imprinted in this view, the world view of a group of people of a historical period ( eg, the early Enlightenment rationalism large parts of the Western European elites ). It is part of the culture.

Theodor Geiger mentality referred to as " subjective ideology." It assumes that people on the basis of their social class and therefore the connected living conditions develop a certain mindset. Layer is the linking of a social situation with a specific mentality, which is reflected in the conduct of life ( life ductal ) for Geiger. But not all people develop a layer of the same mentality.

The acceptance of collective dispositions that determine the behavior and thinking of individuals, encounters with criticism. For the historian Stefan Haas mentality is a " shimmering term" used to describe collective states of consciousness. Mentalities are informal as, for example, political ideologies and therefore difficult to determine and delineate.

The concept of mentality can be a negative connotation in the sense of cliché, prejudice or stereotype. On the other hand, a mentality consciously accepted as the basis for standards of behavior in a social group.