Definition
Cognitive Architecture
Cognitive architecture is the organised arrangement of the processes that make thought possible. It describes how perception, attention, memory, reasoning, action, and self-monitoring fit together in a mind.
It is a functional description of mind, not a complete anatomical map of the brain.
Components
A cognitive architecture usually includes:
- perception, which brings in information from the environment
- attention, which selects what is processed
- working memory, which keeps information available for active use
- long-term memory, which stores learned information and skills
- reasoning, which combines information to draw conclusions
- metacognition, which monitors and evaluates thought
- action, which turns cognition into behaviour
Organisation
The parts of a cognitive architecture are not independent. They constrain one another.
- Attention limits what enters conscious processing.
- Working memory limits how much can be manipulated at once.
- Long-term memory supplies concepts, skills, and habits.
- Metacognition can alter strategy, focus, and confidence.
Number
Number cognition usually includes:
- number sense, which represents and estimates quantity
- magnitude representation, which encodes quantity on an ordered scale
- subitising, which recognises small quantities without counting
- arithmetic reasoning, which solves quantity-based problems
- spatial reasoning, which represents and transforms spatial relations
Relevance
Understanding cognitive architecture helps explain why some tasks feel easy, while others feel difficult. It also helps separate different ways of thinking, such as gestalt thinking, analytical thinking, and unsymbolised thinking.