in Complex Adaptive Systems

The Neuroscience of Imagination and Belief

From a complex systems perspective, imagination and belief interact as non-linear dynamical processes. Both are dependent on initial conditions (memory, history, experience, expectations) and co-evolve with their communities and ecosystems. That is, individuals interact in groups and face novel environments as they develop relationships and work toward their (often competing) goals.

Over time, people participate in various roles, accumulate experiences, observe others, and develop imagined alternatives to their personal trajectories. Imagination becomes the driving source for action or change while beliefs work to mediate those same factors.

While beliefs do not determine behavior, they provide a limited cognitive barrier slow impulsive actions. Beliefs also provide a social justification for constraining change narratives in social groups.