Modular Cognition Framework: Difference between revisions

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==Basic Principles==

1. '''Functional Specialisation'''. The mind has a modular architecture. This means it has a finite set of functionalfunctionally specialised cognitive systems such as the auditory system, the motor system and the conceptual system.

2. '''Mind/Brain Relationship'''. Cognitive systems are manifested in the physical brain in various, often very different ways. This means that ''mind'' and ''brain'', though intimately related, still require ''distinctly different levels of description and explanation''.

3. '''Representational Diversity'''. Each system has its own unique operating principles such that its representations are formed in an identifiable manner and in ways that distinguish them forfrom representations in any other system. The structure of any given representation is coded in such a way as to allow it to form more complex representations of the same kind, i.e. within its own system. ''Primitive'' representations in each system are the simplest and are provided in advance as part of our biological inheritance. In this way meaning (conceptual) representations can be combined with other conceptual representations to form more complex meanings.

4. '''Association'''. These cognitive systems form an interactive network allowing representations in one system to be associated with others in the network.

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9. '''Acquisition by Processing'''. Change (development, acquisition) occurs as a result of online processing. This principle is reflected in the following statement: ''acquisition is the lingering effect of processing'' (Truscott and Sharwood Smith 2004a) <ref>Truscott, J & M. Sharwood Smith. (2004a). Acquisition by processing: a modular perspective on language development. ''Bilingualism: Language and Cognition'' 7,1, 1-2. </ref>, (Truscott and Sharwood Smith 2004).<ref>Truscott, J & M. Sharwood Smith. (2004). How APT is your theory: present status and future prospects. ''Bilingualism: Language and Cognition'' 7,1,43-47.</ref>

10. '''Variable Activation Levels'''. Cognitive representations are activated online to different degrees and may compete with one another for participation in the building of a more complex representations online. This is partly because they possess a current '''resting level of activation''' which will rise or decline according to the frequency and regularity with which they are activated. Extremely high levels of activation are associated with phenomena described variously as ''attention'', '''awareness''' and ''consciousness''.

==Architecture==