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Introduction

A cognitive module is, in theories of the modularity of mind and the closely-related society of mind theory, a specialised tool or sub-unit that can be used by other parts to resolve cognitive tasks. The question of their existence and nature is a major topic in cognitive science and evolutionary psychology. Some see cognitive modules as an independent part of the mind.^[1] Others see also new thought patterns achieved by experience as cognitive modules.^[2] Modularity of mind is the notion that a mind, at least in part, may be composed of separate innate structures which have established evolutionarily-developed functional purposes (ie. ... This article or section should be merged with Society of Mind Marvin Minskys theory of the Society of Mind asserts that the mind is the product of the interaction of a vast society of distinct and individually simple processes known as agents. ... Cognitive The scientific study of how people obtain, retrieve, store and manipulate information. ... Cognitive science is usually defined as the scientific study either of mind or of intelligence (e. ... Evolutionary psychology (abbreviated EP) is a theoretical approach to psychology that attempts to explain mental and psychological traits—such as memory, perception, or language—as adaptations, i. ...

Other terms for similar concepts to what in this article is called Cognitive module are Cognitive description^[3] and Cognitive pattern^[4].

Examples

Here are some examples of cognitive modules:

• The modules controlling your hands when you ride a bike, to stop it crashing by minor left and right turns.

• The modules which allows a basket-ball player to accurately push the ball into the basket.

• The modules which recognizes hunger and tells you that you need food.^[5]

• The modules which cause you to appreciate a beautiful flower, painting or person.^[6]

• The modules which cause some humans to be jealous of their partners' friends.^[7]

• The modules which computes the speeds of other vehicles and tells you if you have time to cross without crashing into other cars.

• The modules which tell you to look both to the right and to the left before crossing a street.

• The modules which cause parents to love and take care of their children.^[8]

• The sex drive modules.^[9]

• The modules triggering jealousy ^[10]

• The fight or flight choice modules. ^[11][12][13]

Evolutionary psychology view of cognitive modules

In the research field of Evolutionary psychology it is believed that some cognitive modules are inherited, some are created by learning, but the creation of new modules by learning is often guided by inherited modules.^[14] Evolutionary psychology (abbreviated EP) is a theoretical approach to psychology that attempts to explain mental and psychological traits—such as memory, perception, or language—as adaptations, i. ...

For example, the ability to ride a car or throw a basket ball are certainly learned and not inherited modules, but they may make use of inherited modules to rapidly compute trajectories.

There is some disagreement between different social scientists on the importance to the capabilities of the human mind of inherited modules. Evolutionary psychologists claim that other social scientists do not accept that some modules are partially inherited^[15], other social scientists claim that evolutionary psychologists are exaggerating the importance of inherited cognitive modules.

Memory and creative thought

A very important aspect of how humans think is the ability, when encountering a situation or problem, to find more or less similar, but not identical, experiences or cognitive modules. This can be compared to what happens if you sound a tone near a piano. The piano string corresponding to this particular tone will then vibrate. But also other strings, from nearby strings, will vibrate to a lesser extent.

Exactly how the human mind does this is not known, but it is believed that when you encounter a situation or problem, many different cognitive modules are activated at the same time, and the mind selects those which are most useful for understanding a new situation or solving a new problem.^[16]

See also

• Cognition
• Language module
• Functionalism (psychology)
• Visual modularity

Look up Cognition in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Language module refers to a hypothesized structure in the human brain that some linguists claim contains innate capacities for language. ... Functionalism is the philosophical underpinning of much empirical research in psychology and cognitive science; however, as research goes on the functionalist approach is continually criticised for its shortcomings. ... The way in which the primate visual system operates is currently under intense scientific scrutiny. ...

References

1. ^ Max Coltheart: Modularity and cognition - Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 1999
2. ^ Tooby, John and Cosmides, Leda 1992 The Psychological Foundations of Culture, in Barkow, Jerome H., Cosmides, Leda, Tooby, John, (1992) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-506023-7, page 30-32.
3. ^ Tooby, John and Cosmides, Leda 1992 The Psychological Foundations of Culture, in Barkow, Jerome H., Cosmides, Leda, Tooby, John, (1992) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-506023-7, page 64.
4. ^ Doreen Kimura, Elizabeth Hampson (1994) Cognitive Pattern in Men and Women Is Influenced by Fluctuations in Sex Hormones. Current Directions in Psychological Science 3 (2), 57–61. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.ep10769964.
5. ^ David M. Buss: Evolutionary Psychology - The New Sciend of the Mind] - 2nd edition, Pearson Education 2004, pages 71-87.
6. ^ David M. Buss: Evolutionary Psychology - The New Sciend of the Mind] - 2nd edition, Pearson Education 2004, pages 407-410.
7. ^ David M. Buss: Evolutionary Psychology - The New Sciend of the Mind] - 2nd edition, Pearson Education 2004, pages 325-330.
8. ^ David M. Buss: Evolutionary Psychology - The New Sciend of the Mind] - 2nd edition, Pearson Education 2004, pages 188ff
9. ^ David M. Buss: Evolutionary Psychology - The New Sciend of the Mind] - 2nd edition, Pearson Education 2004, pages 103 ff.
10. ^ The Evolution of Jealousy: The Specific Innate Module Theory Scientific American, Volume: 92 Number: 1, (January-February 2004)
11. ^ W.B. Cannon: Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear and Rage: An Account of Recent Research Into the Function of Emotional Excitement, 2nd ed. New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1929
12. ^ Daniel Kruger and Randolph Nesse: Sexual selection and the Male:Female Mortality Ratio, Human Nature Review 2004. 2: 68.
13. ^ Arthur S. P. Jansen: Central Command Neurons of the Sympathetic Nervous System: Basis of the Fight-or-Flight Response, Science 27 October 1995: Vol. 270. no. 5236, pp. 644 - 646.
14. ^ David M. Buss: Evolutionary Psychology - The New Sciend of the Mind] - 2nd edition, Pearson Education 2004, pages 19-21
15. ^ Tooby, John and Cosmides, Leda 1992 The Psychological Foundations of Culture, in The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-506023-7 page 38.
16. ^ Liane Gabora: Toward a theory of creative inklings In (R. Ascott, ed.) Art, Technology, and Consciousness, Intellect Press, p. 159-164.