Embodied Cognition
Abstract
Embodied cognition is a recent development in psychology that practitioners often present as a superseding standard cognitive science. In this outstanding introduction, Lawrence Shapiro sets out the central themes and debates surrounding embodied cognition, explaining and assessing the work of many of the key figures in the field, including Lawrence Barsalou, Daniel Casasanto, Andy Clark, Alva Noë, and Michael Spivey. Beginning with an outline of the theoretical and methodological commitments of standard cognitive science, Shapiro then examines philosophical and empirical arguments surrounding the traditional perspective, setting the stage for a detailed examination of the embodied alternative. He introduces topics such as dynamical systems theory, ecological psychology, robotics, and connectionism, before addressing core issues in philosophy of mind such as mental representation and extended cognition. This second edition has been updated and revised throughout and includes new chapters that both expand on earlier topics and that introduce new material on embodied concepts, preference formation, and emotion. Including helpful chapter summaries and annotated further reading at the end of each chapter, Embodied Cognition, Second Edition is essential reading for all students of philosophy of mind, psychology, and cognitive science.
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Embodied cognition emphasizes that cognitive processes are shaped by the physical body and its sensorimotor interactions with the world.
“Embodied cognition emphasizes how cognitive processes are shaped by the physical body and its sensorimotor interactions with the world (Clark 1999; Shapiro 2019; Varela et al. 1991).”
From The myth of the Bayesian brain (2025) · cites this paper as Shapiro 2019
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Fingerhut, J. (2020) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108682312.018 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Embodying Metaverse as artificial life: At the intersection of media and 4E cognition theories
Uspenski, I., & Guga, J. (2022) · Filozofija i drustvo · doi:10.2298/fid2202326u · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Embodied Imagination: Lakoff and Johnson’s Experientialist View of Conceptual Understanding
Clark, K. M. (2024) · Review of General Psychology · doi:10.1177/10892680231224400 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“A challenge when discussing embodied cognition is that “ embodied ” is used for a diverse set of loosely connected approaches (Barsalou, 2020; Gallagher, 2023; Shapiro, 2019; Wilson, 2002).”
BackgroundThe Body in Mind: Mead's Embodied Cognition
McVeigh, R. (2020) · Symbolic Interaction · doi:10.1002/symb.476 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Entorno digital y generación Z
Doardi, D. (2021) · Teoría de la Educación Revista Interuniversitaria · doi:10.14201/teri.25224 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Khatin‐Zadeh, O., Marmolejo‐Ramos, F., & Trenholm, S. (2022) · Journal of Cognitive Enhancement · doi:10.1007/s41465-022-00247-6 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Dynamical Systems Approaches to Cognition
Schöner, G. (2023) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108755610.009 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Beyond skills: reflections on the tacit knowledge-brain-cognition nexus on heritage conservators
Otero, J. (2024) · Heritage Science · doi:10.1186/s40494-024-01341-y · Cited by 10 · see citing works
The Role of Interoceptive Sensitivity and Hypnotizability in Motor Imagery
Malloggi, E., Zelič, Ž., & Santarcangelo, E. L. (2024) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci14080832 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Shapiro, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- Corresponding author
- Shapiro, Lawrence
- Venue
- Routledge eBooks
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Published
- 2019-05-07
- OpenAlex
- W4244539133
- Cited by
- 492
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 123 · 2025: 116 · 2024: 89 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 20.91
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Routledge eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Embodied and Extended Cognition
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Language, Metaphor, and Cognition
- Keywords
- embodied cognition, dynamical systems theory, ecological psychology, robotics, connectionism, mental representation, extended cognition, preference formation, emotions, philosophy of mind, Andy Clark, Alva Noë
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