title: Cognitive ecology.
abstract: Cognitive ecology is the study of cognitive phenomena in context. In particular, it points to the web of mutual dependence among the elements of a cognitive ecosystem. At least three fields were taking a deeply ecological approach to cognition 30 years ago: Gibson's ecological psychology, Bateson's ecology of mind, and Soviet cultural-historical activity theory. The ideas developed in those projects have now found a place in modern views of embodied, situated, distributed cognition. As cognitive theory continues to shift from units of analysis defined by inherent properties of the elements to units defined in terms of dynamic patterns of correlation across elements, the study of cognitive ecosystems will become an increasingly important part of cognitive science.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hutchins
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D019336:Cognitive Science / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D004463:Ecology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D011582:Psychological Theory
keywords: Activity theory; Brain-body-world systems; Distributed cognition; Ecological psychology; Ecology of mind; Embodied cognition; Human culture; Situated cognition; Units of analysis for cognition