Hi Ron,
I've used Goffman's Framing as a way of examining external environmental selection pressures in social settings. I find that it complements the work of Schutz and Luckmann (Structures of the Lifeworld, vol 1 & vol 2) while, at the same time, can easily go on top of neural networks. I read Cooley's work quite a while ago and, while I don't use it, I suspect some of it has stuck in my subconscious.
For the past, oh, 12 years or so, I've been trying to formalize the concept of "cultural schemas" at different levels: neurological, cultural and sociability. I'm still not happy with the models I've produced, but I think they are a decent start that would fit into this area.
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