Dynamics of cognition.

The application of dynamical systems methods and concepts to cognitive phenomena has broadened the range of testable hypotheses and theoretical narratives available to cognitive scientists. Most research in cognitive dynamics tests the degree to which observed cognitive performance is consistent with one or another core phenomena associated with complex dynamical systems, such as tests for phase transitions, coupling among processes, or scaling laws. Early applications of dynamical systems theory to perceptual-motor performance and developmental psychology paved the way for more recent applications of dynamical systems analyses, models, and theoretical concepts in areas such as learning, memory, speech perception, decision making, problem solving, and reading, among others. Reviews of the empirical results of both foundational and contemporary cognitive dynamics are provided. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1200 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.