Strange loops of attention, awareness, action, and affect in musical improvisation

The chapter argues that understanding collective musical improvisation requires moving beyond conventional information-processing models of cognition. It proposes that 'strange', paradoxical, level-crossing feedback loops better capture the dynamics involved. The text highlights challenges in studying improvisation and consciousness, and suggests that embodied and enactive theories of cognition, along with predictive processing and social psychology, offer productive frameworks. Improvising music together involves joint action, embodied coordination, collective attention, and shared intention in ways that challenge standard views of mind and consciousness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This chapter champions the notion of ‘strange’, paradoxical, level-crossing feedback loops as a means to address the shortcomings of information-processing approaches to cognition, especially as applied to musical improvisation. It highlights the inherent challenges of studying improvisation and consciousness, and suggests ways that embodied and enactive theories of cognition, and emerging ideas in predictive processing and social psychology, may offer productive ways to understand mind and consciousness, and the dynamics of collective musical improvisation. Improvising music together, the chapter argues, involves joint action, embodied coordination, collective attention, and shared intention in ways that challenge conventional understandings of cognition and consciousness.