Cognitive processing and extrinsic psychological systems: A holistic modelof cognition

Cognition is typically explained as the result of systems that process info rmation, ideas, and images. Recent research has challenged this assumption as being too narrow. In addition to cognitive systems, it is now clear that cognitive functioning is also affected by other psychological systems that are extrinsic to the cognitive system. Thus, cognitive functioning is now know to be affected by physiological, emotional, motivational, social, and motoric processes, as well as by cognitive processes (e.g., perception lear ning, remembering, reasoning, and decision making). This article examines h ow models of cognition may be supplemented by additional components and pro cesses to account for the effects of extrinsic variables on cognitive perfo rmance. In recent years, cognitive processing has been attributed to a wide variety of noncognitive systems, for example, a person's physical state, e motional state, and expertise. The effects of each of the variables associa ted with these different systems have led to diverse interpretations. Until recently, no framework has been available that encompasses the effects of the range of cognitive and noncognitive variables. Building on a contextual ist perspective, this article advances a multisystem framework that integra tes the influences of cognitive and noncognitive variables on cognitive per formance in a holistic manner.