Embodied Cognitive Science Unit

mannequin head with research equipment

The Embodied Cognitive Science Unit investigates the hypothesis that agent-environment interaction is an essential part of, rather than only a product of, cognition. An agent’s mind is profoundly shaped by its embodiment and the world, especially in terms of social, cultural and technological mediation. Using methods drawn from the intersection of computer science and complex systems, the implications of this hypothesis are modeled and tested across scales from adaptive behavior to human thinking. Applications will advance our understanding of social cognition, addiction, and human-computer interaction.