An Ecological Approach to Conceptual Thinking in Material Engagement.
Nicolás Alessandroni, Lambros Malafouris, Shaun Gallagher
Europe's journal of psychology May 29, 2024 DOI: 10.5964/ejop.13227 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Material culture Conceptual thinking Things Ecological-enactive cognition Material engagement theory |
| Key points | Argues that conceptual thinking is not a matter of forming representations in the head but a way of engaging with materiality, termed 'conceptual thinging.' Proposes that conceptual thinking is instantiated in the dynamic coordination of bodily practices and artefacts in sociomaterial activities, and sets out seven principles defining conceptual thinking within an ecological-enactive framework. |
Abstract
Although post-cognitivist approaches have shaken the status quo by emphasising the dynamic interactions among the brain, the body, and the environment in cognition, mainstream psychological theories continue to view concepts as primarily representational or skull-bound mental phenomena. As a result, the dynamics of action and the possible impact of material culture on conceptual thinking are poorly understood. In this paper, we explore the process and meaning of conceptual thinking from a material engagement perspective. We argue that conceptual thinking is not a matter of forming representations in the head but something we do-a way of engaging with materiality. Conceptual thinking is conceptual thinging, namely a kind of unmediated practical knowledge that individuals put into play when they engage, in a general way, with and through the world. In this sense, we propose that conceptual thinking is instantiated in the dynamic coordination of bodily practices and artefacts in sociomaterial activities. To elucidate this perspective, we introduce seven principles defining conceptual thinking within an ecological-enactive framework of cognition.