TY - JOUR
T1 - Theories and Theorizers
T2 - A Contextual Approach to Theories of Cognition
AU - Barutta, Joaquín
AU - Cornejo, Carlos
AU - Ibáñez, Agustín
PY - 2011/6
Y1 - 2011/6
N2 - An undisputable characteristic of cognitive science is its enormous diversity of theories. Not surprisingly, these often belong to different paradigms that focus on different processes and levels of analysis. A related problem is that researchers of cognition frequently seem to ascribe to incompatible approaches to research, creating a Tower of Babel of cognitive knowledge. This text presents a pragmatic model of meta-theoretical analysis, a theory conceived of to examine other theories, which allows cognitive theories to be described, integrated and compared. After a brief introduction to meta-theoretical analysis in cognitive science, the dynamic and structural components of a theory are described. The analysis of conceptual mappings between components and explanation strategies is also described, as well as the processes of intra-theory generalization and inter-theory comparison. The various components of the meta-theoretical model are presented with examples of different cognitive theories, mainly focusing on two current approaches to research: The dynamical approach to cognition and the computer metaphor of mind. Finally, two potential counter arguments to the model are presented and discussed.
AB - An undisputable characteristic of cognitive science is its enormous diversity of theories. Not surprisingly, these often belong to different paradigms that focus on different processes and levels of analysis. A related problem is that researchers of cognition frequently seem to ascribe to incompatible approaches to research, creating a Tower of Babel of cognitive knowledge. This text presents a pragmatic model of meta-theoretical analysis, a theory conceived of to examine other theories, which allows cognitive theories to be described, integrated and compared. After a brief introduction to meta-theoretical analysis in cognitive science, the dynamic and structural components of a theory are described. The analysis of conceptual mappings between components and explanation strategies is also described, as well as the processes of intra-theory generalization and inter-theory comparison. The various components of the meta-theoretical model are presented with examples of different cognitive theories, mainly focusing on two current approaches to research: The dynamical approach to cognition and the computer metaphor of mind. Finally, two potential counter arguments to the model are presented and discussed.
KW - Computer metaphor, meta-theoretical analysis
KW - Conceptual mapping
KW - Contextualism, cognitive science
KW - Dynamical approaches to cognition
KW - Explanation strategies
KW - Pragmatics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79957619657&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12124-011-9156-9
DO - 10.1007/s12124-011-9156-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79957619657
SN - 1932-4502
VL - 45
SP - 223
EP - 246
JO - Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science
JF - Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science
IS - 2
ER -