Phase transitions

foundations of behavior

J. Kelso

pp. 249-268

in: Hermann Haken, Michael Stadler (eds), Synergetics of cognition, Berlin, Springer, 1990

Abstract

Synergetic phase transitions afford a special window into the principles of behavior at several levels of desciption. The reason is that instabilities serve to demarcate behavioral patterns, thereby allowing a precise identification of collective variables or order parameters for patterns and their (nonlinear) dynamics. Once the, order parameter dynamics are known for particular experimental model systems, not only can they be derived or synthesized, but a number of steps of generalization becomes possible. Certain essential psychological functions such as the perception of dynamic visual and speech patterns, intentional behavioral change and learning a novel behavioral pattern are addressed here. All observed phenomena may be expressed in dynamical language.