Event cognition represents a vital area of cognitive science, focusing on how humans segment experiences and the ensuing effects on various cognitive functions. This field examines the role of spatial, temporal, causal, and interpersonal changes, among other dimensions, to understand how humans comprehend, remember, and reason about events. Researchers delve into a spectrum of events sourced from perceptual experiences to digital and virtual environments, assessing their impact on cognitive development and associated neurological frameworks. Recent studies have particularly highlighted the importance of context and rich stimuli in understanding cognitive processes, challenging the traditional use of decontextualized experimental materials.

Central to event cognition research is addressing the shortcomings in traditional cognitive experiments which often employ simple, unrelated tasks that do not fully engage natural cognitive mechanisms. This realization underpins a growing critique of standard cognitive testing methods, which potentially distort our understanding of cognitive processes by oversimplifying or sidelining complex, contextualized interactions. The field now seeks to replace these outdated models with more integrative approaches that reflect the multifaceted nature of human thinking.

This Research Topic aims to consolidate and expand our understanding of how mental representations of events interact with the physical world and influence cognitive structures. Broadly, the goal is to analyze the architecture of these mental event models and their interplay with environmental architectures. The insights from these studies are expected to revise our theoretical and practical approach to cognitive science, particularly in how environments impact cognition.

To gather further insights into these complex interactions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Effect of physical spaces on event-based memory triggers.

- Developmental trajectories of event cognition across lifespan.

- Neurological underpinnings of event cognition.

- Virtual reality as a tool for studying event cognition.

- Cross-cultural variations in event perception and memory.

We also encourage submissions using diverse methodologies, including experimental, longitudinal, and case study approaches, to enrich our understanding of the nuanced relationship between event cognition and environmental context.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Event Cognition: Interactions Between Mental and Physical Architectures