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. 2009 Jul;4(4):326-39.
doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01134.x.

The Future of Psychology: Connecting Mind to Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett  1
Affiliations

The Future of Psychology: Connecting Mind to Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2009 Jul.

Abstract

Psychological states such as thoughts and feelings are real. Brain states are real. The problem is that the two are not real in the same way, creating the mind-brain correspondence problem. In this article, I present a possible solution to this problem that involves two suggestions. First, complex psychological states such as emotion and cognition can be thought of as constructed events that can be causally reduced to a set of more basic, psychologically primitive ingredients that are more clearly respected by the brain. Second, complex psychological categories like emotion and cognition are the phenomena that require explanation in psychology, and, therefore, they cannot be abandoned by science. Describing the content and structure of these categories is a necessary and valuable scientific activity.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Depictions of three brain states comprised of different combinations of the same three psychological primitives (represented in yellow, pink, and blue). Depending on the recipe (the combination and relative weighting of psychological primitives in a given instance) and a psychologist’s interest and theoretical proclivities, mental states are called seeing or thinking or feeling.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Two models of mental causation. A: In the mechanistic linear model, Psychological Process A localized in Brain Area 1 causes the separate and distinct Psychological Process B localized in Brain Area 2, and so on. B: In the probabilistic model, Brain State A at Time 1 (left panel) makes it easier to enter Brain State B than Brain State C at Time 2 (right panel).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Two models of mental causation. A: In the mechanistic linear model, Psychological Process A localized in Brain Area 1 causes the separate and distinct Psychological Process B localized in Brain Area 2, and so on. B: In the probabilistic model, Brain State A at Time 1 (left panel) makes it easier to enter Brain State B than Brain State C at Time 2 (right panel).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Causal relations among levels. Networks of neurons realize psychological primitives that in turn are the basic ingredients of the mind. These basic ingredients construct instances of complex psychological categories like the self, attitudes, controlled processing, emotion, and so on.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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