Distributed cognition: Difference between revisions

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{{Cyborg}}

'''Distributed cognition''' "''focusing beyond the boundaries of the individual''"

(DCog) is a theory of [[psychology]] developed in the 1990s by [[Edwin Hutchins]]. Using insights from [[sociology]], [[cognitive science]], and the psychology of [[Vygotsky]] (cf [[activity theory]]) it emphasizes the social aspects of cognition. It is framework (not a method) that involves the co-ordination between individuals and artefacts. It is comprised of rwo key components:

1) the representations that infomation is held in and transformed across

2) the process by which representations are co-ordinated with each other.

Distributed cognition is a branch of cognitive science that proposes that human knowledge and cognition are not confined to the individual. Instead, it is distributed by placing memories, facts, or knowledge on the objects, individuals, and tools in our environment. Distributed cognition is a useful approach for (re)designing social aspects of cognition by putting emphasis on the individual and his/her environment. Distributed cognition views a system as a set of representations, and models the interchange of information between these representations. These representations can be either in the mental space of the participants or external representations available in the environment.