representations in a given society. 3. Analysis of folk ideas: Collective representations are broken down into constituent folk ideas. Geographical regions often exhibit similar patterns of folk ideas – he called these “idea circles” which described the collective representations of particular regions. 4. Deduction of elementary ideas: Resemblances between folk ideas and patterns of folk ideas across regions indicate underlying elementary ideas. 5. Application of a scientific psychology: Study of elementary ideas defines the psychic unity of mankind, which is due to the underlying psychophysiological structure of the species – this study is to be accomplished by a truly scientific, cross-culturally grounded psychology. Notes References External links 1826 births 1905 deaths Scientists from Bremen Writers from Bremen German anthropologists German ethnographers German ethnologists Heidelberg University alumni Humboldt University of Berlin alumni University of Jena alumni University of Würzburg alumni German male writers Members of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina Members of the American Philosophical Society German explorers of Africa