Body knows first Late 20th to early 21st century

Body knows first Late 20th to early 21st century

Embodied cognition is the idea that human cognitive activities are not completed solely by information processing in the brain, but are inseparably linked to bodily states, sensations, and movements. The very functions of the body itself, such as seeing, touching, moving, and posturing, are directly involved in the formation of thoughts, judgments, and emotions. It is an explanation that people are not beings who think only with their brains, but literally with their bodies.

This perspective has been emphasized in cognitive science and psychology since the late 20th century. Traditional cognitive models have assumed that thoughts are processed abstractly in the brain, like computations in a computer. However, as experimental research has progressed, it has been shown that physical conditions such as facial expression, posture, breathing, and muscle tension can influence emotional evaluation, speed of judgment, and even comprehension. For example, it has been reported that intentionally smiling increases self-evaluation of mood and that frowning decreases sentence comprehension.

This idea also ties in strongly with System 1, presented by behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman. Automatic, fast, sensory-like thinking is integrated with bodily reactions and is difficult to control consciously. From the standpoint of embodied cognition, it can be understood that it is the standard human condition, not an exception, for judgments and emotions to rise before reason.

Furthermore, this conception also influences the philosophical view of the human being. The dualistic view of mind and body as separate entities has been shaken, and the mind and body are now seen as a single process that constantly interacts with each other. In this respect, it resonates with the 18th century philosopher David Hume's idea that the ego is not a fixed subject, but a series of perceptions and feelings.

The notion of embodied cognition raises once again the question of how far humans are free to think and judge. Thinking is always supported by the body and the environment and cannot be completely free from their influence. This perspective is shared by contemporary psychology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence research, which continues to quietly update the very premises of human understanding.