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The neural basis of transactive technical cognition
François Osiurak1, Chloé Bryche2, Maximilien Metaireau3
1Laboratoire d'Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
Neuroimage
|October 17, 2025
Summary
Individuals adjust their brain networks for collaboration. Delegating tasks shifts focus to social reasoning, while learning integrates technical and social networks for effective knowledge transfer and human-technology interaction.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Cognition
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Human societies rely on division of labor and cultural specialization.
- Effective collaboration requires representing and adjusting technical cognition skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how individuals adjust cognitive networks during delegation and teaching.
- Understand the neural basis of representing others' skills in collaborative contexts.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral experiment (n=30) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study (n=29).
- Examined brain activity during delegation and teaching scenarios.
Main Results:
- Delegation: Reduced recruitment of technical reasoning networks, increased social reasoning network activity to represent expert skills.
- Teaching: Preferential recruitment of both technical and social reasoning networks, forming an integrative representation.
- Integrative representation supports social learning strategies and human-technology interaction, including following online tutorials.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive network adjustments facilitate effective collaboration and social learning.
- An integrative representation of self and other skills underpins social learning and human-technology interactions.
- Findings offer insights into the co-evolution of transactive technical cognition and cultural specialization.
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