endogeensus

Endogeensus is a theoretical construct used in discussions of cognition and complex systems to describe a process by which an agent or collective derives information from internal signals rather than external inputs. In this framework, endogenous cues—such as internal state, feedback loops, and systemic tendencies—drive perception, decision-making, and coordination.

The term is a neologism formed from endo- meaning within and a suffix loosely aligned with sense or perceptual judgment. It has appeared in a small set of speculative essays and model papers and is not part of established taxonomy in psychology, neuroscience, or sociology. Its usage varies across disciplines.

In theoretical models, endogeensus is used to contrast exogenous sensing or externally anchored perception. It emphasizes self-referential data streams, such as a robot’s internal battery level or a social network’s momentum metrics, that individuals or agents weigh to infer system state and act accordingly. The concept can be applied to distributed cognition, swarm intelligence, and organizational coordination.

Applications include designing agents that rely on internal confidence estimates to decide whether to seek external information, or modeling groups that coordinate through shared internal signals rather than explicit external cues. It is intended as a lens to study how systems stabilize or adapt when external signals are sparse or unreliable.

Critics argue that endogeensus risks conflating well-established ideas—such as intrinsic motivation, metacognition, and endogenous signaling—with more general self-monitoring, and that operationalizing the concept remains challenging. Proponents acknowledge its exploratory status and call for clear definitions and empirical tests.

See also: endogenous signaling, self-organization, distributed cognition, exogenous input, intrinsic motivation.