intra‐cultural diversity: some theoretical issues1

Recent anthropological research includes a growing number of studies which focus directly on issues of intra‐cultural and intra‐community diversity, rather than simply recording passing mention of “deviations” from norms or cultural patterns that are presumed to be standardized. Studies of behavioral and cognitive diversity are essential for understanding differential processes of social change, as well as other theoretical problems. We suggest that intra‐group diversity in behavioral repertoires and cognitive orientations, like genetic diversity within populations, is of great significance for on‐going processes of human adaptation.