Interdisciplinarity as cognitive integration: auditory verbal hallucinations as a case study

Area of Science:

• Interdisciplinary research methodology
• Cognitive science
• Phenomenology
• Humanistic disciplines

Background:

• The article addresses the methodological modeling of interdisciplinary research.
• It draws on the 'Hearing the Voice' project at Durham University, which explores auditory verbal hallucinations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a bottom-up approach to modeling interdisciplinary research.
• To propose a new model for disciplinary integration based on project interactions.
• To highlight interdisciplinary projects as processes of distributed cognition and cognitive integration.

Main Methods:

• Focusing on concrete interactions among individuals in interdisciplinary projects.
• Integrating cognitive science (neuroscience, cognitive psychology, philosophy of mind), phenomenology, and humanistic disciplines (literature, narratology, history, theology).
• Utilizing experience from the 'Hearing the Voice' cross-disciplinary project.

Main Results:

• A proposed model for disciplinary integration in interdisciplinary research.
• Identification of distributed cognition and cognitive integration as key dynamics within such projects.
• Demonstration of a practical approach to integrating diverse fields.

Conclusions:

• Interdisciplinary projects can be effectively modeled from the ground up, focusing on individual interactions.
• The proposed model enhances understanding of how diverse disciplines integrate.
• Recognizing projects as distributed cognition processes offers new insights into interdisciplinary collaboration.