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  1. Home
  3. Do (we Think That) Plants Have Agency?
  1. Home
  3. Do (we Think That) Plants Have Agency?

Related Experiment Video

Robotic Sensing and Stimuli Provision for Guided Plant Growth
08:02

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Published on: July 1, 2019

Do (We Think That) Plants Have Agency?

Lilia Rissman1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology.

Topics in Cognitive Science
|May 27, 2026

View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Humans perceive agents in their environment, but the scope of this "agent category" is debated. This review explores whether people attribute agency to plants, examining cross-cultural variations and universal cognitive biases.

Keywords:
AnimacyAnimismCognitive developmentConceptsFolk‐biology

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cross-Cultural Psychology

Background:

  • Humans possess a heightened sensitivity to agents in their environment.
  • Research indicates an evolved expectation for agents, but the boundaries of this category are unclear.
  • Entities beyond humans, including animals, plants, natural phenomena, and robots, can be conceptualized as agents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on whether humans conceptualize plants as having agency.
  • To investigate the extent of cross-cultural and cross-linguistic variation in attributing agency to plants.
  • To explore potential universal cognitive biases influencing the perception of plant agency.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on agent perception and plant cognition.
  • Analysis of cross-cultural and cross-linguistic data regarding agency attribution.
  • Identification of research gaps concerning universal biases in ecological cognition.

    • Main Results:

    • Previous research shows significant cultural and linguistic diversity in attributing agency to plants.
    • It remains undetermined if these variations stem from universal cognitive mechanisms.
    • The study highlights the need for further research into the cognitive science of ecological perception.

    Conclusions:

    • Understanding the breadth of the human agent category is crucial for cognitive science.
    • Investigating plant agency attribution can reveal fundamental aspects of human ecological cognition.
    • Future research should focus on identifying universal cognitive biases in perceiving agency in non-human entities like plants.