Situated Cognition and the Function of Behavior

In his review of “situated cognition” Cheng reminds us that the properties of cognition can be influenced by much more than what is going on in the brain. In this commentary, I focus on the lessons that this situated approach can teach those of us using behavior as a tool for investigating animal cognition. Rather than just a measure telling us about hidden cognitive processes, the details of behavior can provide important clues about how animals are solving a task. By looking in more detail at the behavior of our animals, and the possible sensory consequences of these behaviors, we can not only learn more about how animals do what they need to do but also explore how situated cognition shapes the structure of behavior.