Mimetic Theory
| Mimetic theory is a theory that describes human behavior and culture, as well as how objects become desirable to humans when examined in the context of economics. The theory was first proposed by French sociologist and anthropologist René Girard in the 1950s. The theory posits that humans are imitative creatures and that they learn by observing and copying the behavior of others. This imitation is not simply a matter of copying what someone else does; it is also a way of trying to understand and make sense of the world. Mimetic theory has been used to explain a wide range of human behavior, from the way we learn language to the way we form relationships. It has also been used to explain economic behavior, such as why people want certain objects. The theory has been criticized by some for being too reductionist and for not taking into account the role of individual agency. However, it remains a influential theory in the social sciences. |
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