Abstract
Two principles inherent in our universe allow for the development of cognitive networks. As a general rule, the p concept maintains stability in human thinking and the k concept allows for cognitive change. This chapter focuses on the role of the p factor which allows for the inclusion and exclusion of environmental information in the formation of cognitive models and does not allow a cognitive model to become overwhelmed by too much information. The k factor focuses on the interconnections between informational variables and that will be discussed in the next chapter. Examples of how the p factor allows for the formation of cognitive variables are discussed in terms of common everyday activities such as driving an automobile and dangerous behavior such as safely navigating a kayak through the complex rapids of a white water river. Diagrams of the interactions in cognitive models demonstrate the limits of stability in such models and how they can quickly become chaotic and dysfunctional.
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Leve, R. (2022). Constructing Cognitive Stability. In: The Complexity of Human Thought. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09104-9_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09104-9_8
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