MOVING FROM COGNITION TO BEHAVIOR: WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

Abstract

In 1994, R. G. Lord and P. E. Levy proposed a variant of control theory that incorporated

human information processing principles. The current article evaluates the empirical evidence for

their propositions and updates the theory by considering contemporary research on information

processing. Considerable support drawing from diverse literatures was found for propositions

concerning the activation of goal-relevant information, the inhibition of goal-irrelevant

information, and the consequences of goal completion. These effects were verified by meta-

analytic analyses, which also supported the meaningfulness of such effects on the basis of their

unstandardized magnitudes. The authors conclude by proposing new directions for this version of

control theory by invoking recent theorizing on goal emergence and the importance of velocity

and acceleration information for goal striving and by reviewing research in cognitive neuroscience.

Reference:

Johnson, R. E., Chang, C.-H., & Lord, R. G. (2006). Moving from cognition to behavior: What the

research says. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 381–415.

MINDS ON THE MOVE: CROSSING DISCIPLINES TO SHED NEW LIGHT ON

HUMAN COGNITION

Abstract

Mobility is integral to mankind, but current cognitive research on migrants is almost

nonexistent. Most of the existing knowledge on human cognition is based on data collected from

(and by) the wealthiest and least mobile citizens of the world. In turn, most of the migration

literature relies on superficial, and at times erroneous, assumptions regarding the cognitive

processes underlying migratory phenomenon. However, research conducted to date in reveals

striking convergences between core issues relevant to scholars in cognitive science on the one

hand, and in migration studies on the other. This current lack on cross‐disciplinary dialog has no

scientific grounds for two fields, which are inherently interdisciplinary, and yet it has concerning

sociopolitical implications. Mapping out a novel research agenda at the crossroads of the cognitive

and social sciences, this article stands as an invitation for researchers to engage in further

collaborative work involving joint data collections and joint data analyses. This paper argues that

researching migrant cognition would give more breadth to cognitive science and more depth to

migration studies, which has the potential to better inform the design of public policies. Though

the examples of (a) visual perception, (b) future‐oriented cognition, and (c) language acquisition,

this article shows that pairing the discoveries of migration scholars and cognitive scientists can

move forward our understanding on the human mind, in an ever‐moving world.

References:

Vari‐Lavoisier, I. (2020). Minds on the move: Crossing disciplines to shed new light on human

cognition. WIREs Cognitive Science, Article e1548. Advance online publication.

LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD: A RETROSPECTIVE EXAMINATION OF

RESEARCH AT THE INTERSECTION OF COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE

Abstract

Research at the intersection of cognitive science and education has major benefits for both

researchers and education practitioners. Yet, a number of logistical and communication challenges

must be carefully negotiated to maximize the benefits of these collaborations. In this article, we

trace the investments and major publications that have sought to bridge cognitive science and

education over the past 40 years to provide context for the papers in a special issue of the Journal

of Cognition and Development “Found in Translation: Cognitive Development Meets Education.

We use the Institute of Education Sciences’ investments in research at the intersection of cognitive

science and education as a case study for what the field has primarily focused on over the past two

decades and, finally, we offer a broad overview of the themes that this special issue touches on

and a commentary on how we believe the field can improve.

References:

Higgins, E. J., Dettmer, A. M., & Albro, E. R. (2019). Looking back to move forward: A

retrospective examination of research at the intersection of cognitive science and education and

what it means for the future. Journal of Cognition and Development. Advance online publication.

SENSATION SEEKING AND ITS BIOLOGICAL CORRELATES

Abstract

Reviews the trait of sensation seeking and the biological phenomena associated with it:

strength of the initial orienting reflex, augmenting vs reducing of the average evoked potential,

MAO, and gonadal hormones (both androgen and estrogens). Both psychological and biological

measures have retest reliabilities that are characteristic of stable traits. Twin studies show moderate

to strong genetic control of the personality and of several biological measures. Several behavioral

characteristics that are associated with the trait in humans are also related to the biological traits