Accessing Active Inference Theory through Its Implicit and Deliberative Practice in Human Organizations.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Neurobiology
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• Active inference theory (AIT), derived from the free-energy principle, models cognitive processes in living systems.
• AIT's complex terminology and mathematics are often barriers to understanding its practical applications.
• Active inference principles are observable in various human organizations, suggesting implicit application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose autoethnography as an accessible method for understanding active inference theory (AIT).
• To explore how AIT manifests in existing organizational practices (implicit AIT).
• To examine new organizational methodologies informed by AIT (deliberative AIT) and their integration.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing autoethnographic research to explore lived experiences within organizations.
• Analyzing organizational actions (updating beliefs, shifting attention, changing processes) through the lens of AIT.
• Connecting autoethnographic insights to generative learning frameworks.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that autoethnography can demystify AIT by focusing on practical, lived experiences.
• Identified implicit active inference in current organizational practices.
• Outlined pathways for developing deliberative AIT and integrating both implicit and deliberative approaches.

Conclusions:

• Autoethnography offers a valuable, experiential pathway to understanding and applying active inference theory in organizational contexts.
• The integration of implicit and deliberative active inference, guided by autoethnography, can foster generative learning and enhance organizational resilience.
• Bridging theoretical neurobiology with organizational practice through autoethnography makes AIT more accessible and actionable.