Cultural Domain Analysis

Abstract

Cultural Domain Analysis (CDA) is a theoretical and methodological approach rooted in cognitive anthropology that investigates how people in a particular culture organize, structure, and perceive ideas. Beginning in the 1960s, CDA developed into a powerful tool for collecting and analyzing data, with applications extending beyond anthropology into other fields, including public health and other social sciences. This paper outlines the procedures and methods used in CDA, its strengths and limitations, and its potential utility in breastfeeding studies. Basic features of key techniques within CDA that include free listing, pile sorting, and cultural consensus analysis are discussed. The paper also highlights how CDA seamlessly combines qualitative and quantitative data to generate culturally meaningful social theories that can inform the development of contextually relevant policies and interventions.