Kognitionsvetenskaplig

Kognitionsvetenskaplig is an adjective used in Swedish to denote something related to cognitive science (kognitionsvetenskap). It can describe research approaches, theories, or findings whose aim is to understand the workings of the mind and intelligent behavior from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Kognitionsvetenskap is an interdisciplinary field that combines psychology, cognitive neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy of mind, artificial intelligence, anthropology and computer science. It seeks to explain mental processes such as perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning, decision making and learning. Methods include experimental psychology, computational modelling, neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG), and analysis of language and behaviour, often in combination to test how cognitive processes operate.

Historically, cognitive science emerged in the mid-20th century from the conjunction of AI research, linguistics and psychology. In Swedish academia, the term kognitionsvetenskaplig is used to label theories, analyses and programmes that adopt a cognitive-science perspective rather than a single-discipline approach.

In Sweden, kognitionsvetenskap is offered as a research area and degree program at several universities, and kognitionsvetenskaplig research is conducted across departments such as psychology, informatics, linguistics and neuroscience. Students may pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in kognitionsvetenskap or study related subjects within larger faculties, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary training and methods.

The field also relates to but remains distinct from related terms such as kognitiv neurovetenskap (cognitive neuroscience) and philosophy of mind. While overlapping, kognitionsvetenskaplig research stresses integrative explanations that combine computational models, empirical data and theoretical analysis to understand mental processes.