The Perception & Action Podcast 558 – The Ecological Approach to Cognition: An Introduction
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Jan 27, 2026 A series kickoff that reframes thinking about problem solving, memory, intention and decision making from an ecological viewpoint. It contrasts classic brain-centered definitions with cognition as an emergent property of performer and environment. The host previews future deep dives into memory, decision-making, brain resonance and practical applications.
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Start With Duarte Araújo's Paper
- Read Duarte Araújo et al.'s paper 'The Ecological Dynamics of Cognizant Action in Sport' for a starting point.
- Rob Gray recommends the article to connect today's overview to concrete research.
Cognition As Internal Computation Is Limited
- Traditional cognition views mental processes as internal computations on stored representations.
- Rob Gray argues this serial, representation-based model separates cognition from the environment and misframes perception-action.
Cognition Emerges From Performer-Environment Coupling
- Ecological dynamics reconceive cognition as a property of the performer-environment system rather than something solely inside the brain.
- Rob Gray frames cognition as emergent from coupling between perception and action, not stored internal representations.