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Cognition as coordinated non-cognition

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Abstract

We propose that cognition is more than a collection of independent processes operating in a modular cognitive system. Instead, we propose that cognition emerges from dependencies between all of the basic systems in the brain, including goal management, perception, action, memory, reward, affect, and learning. Furthermore, human cognition reflects its social evolution and context, as well as contributions from a developmental process. After presenting these themes, we illustrate their application to the process of anticipation. Specifically, we propose that anticipations occur extensively across domains (i.e., goal management, perception, action, reward, affect, and learning) in coordinated manners. We also propose that anticipation is central to situated action and to social interaction, and that many of its key features reflect the process of development.

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Acknowledgment

DARPA contract BICA FA8650-05-C-7255 awarded to three authors supported their collaboration on this project. In addition, Lawrence Barsalou was supported by DARPA contract FA8650-05-C-7256 and National Science Foundation Grant BCS-0212134. We are grateful to Arthur Glenberg and an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on a draft of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Lawrence W. Barsalou

  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA

    Cynthia Breazeal

  3. Indiana University, Bloomington, USA

    Linda B. Smith

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  1. Lawrence W. Barsalou
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  2. Cynthia Breazeal
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  3. Linda B. Smith
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Correspondence to Lawrence W. Barsalou.

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Barsalou, L.W., Breazeal, C. & Smith, L.B. Cognition as coordinated non-cognition. Cogn Process 8, 79–91 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-007-0163-1

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