Sense of control & constructive cognition for interactive cognition

Interactive cognition refers to the dynamic co-evolution of thought and action within continuous exchanges between an agent and its physical, digital and social environment. Unlike traditional models that treat cognition as an internal, representational process, interactive cognition emphasizes the situated, embodied, and temporally extended nature of thinking. This perspective foregrounds two interrelated principles. The sense of control in continuous interaction compares expected outcome with sensed outcome on different levels, e.g. it emerges from ongoing sensorimotor loops but also driven by high level intentions – on both levels sense of control is influencing behavior. Constructive cognition highlights that understanding and problem-solving are actively built through interaction—agents shape their cognitive landscapes by selecting, comprehending, and projecting environmental information in real time. Together, these principles frame cognition as an emergent, adaptive process unfolding through participation rather than computation alone. Developing systems that embody these principles—whether human, artificial, or hybrid—requires rethinking representation, agency, and knowledge as inherently interactive phenomena.