Cognitive Complexity

Having made a pitch in the last post for the problems of psychic complexity, I will now turn the tables and argue for the healthiness of cognitive complexity. I mentioned in that note that I was taking liberty with the words psyche, emotions and mind. Now I will be more specific.

Psychic complexity is an attribute primarily of our emotional set-up, a messy mélange of over-lapping and often contradictory sensations and needs, of which we are mainly unconscious. The lack of emotional order and discipline mean poor outcomes for the person and those with whom she interacts. Thinking, decision-making and interpersonal interactions, among other things, are compromised by this condition. Cognitive complexity could hardly be more different.

“Cognitive complexity is the psychological characteristic or variable that shows how complex or simple the frame and perceptual skill of a person are. It is the extent to which a person differentiates and integrates an event. A person who measures highly on cognitive complexity tends to observe gradations and subtle differences while persons with a less complex cognitive structure for the task does not.” (reference.com)

“Differentiation is the number of distinctions or separate elements (i.e., factors, variables) into to which an event is analyzed. Integration refers to the connections or relationships among those elements.” (faculty.css.edu)

These characteristics are vital for problem solving, whether in science, government, business, or everyday life. The more separate elements and nuanced differences a person can see, the more she can bring to a challenge and the more sophisticated the outcome.

What else can we draw from these quotes? They express an expansive view of the world (and conflict conversations), rather than a disordered and restrictive view. Individuals with high cognitive complexity are more open to new information, and have more cognitive tools at their disposal. They are more likely to deal well with uncertainty, and may be more willing to actively search for contrary information. And they can be highly creative in rearranging the various elements in a complex setting to produce a unique and beneficial outcome. All of these require flexible and adaptive thinking.

People with low cognitive complexity tend to see the world in simplistic terms. Lacking subtlety and flexibility, their impoverished thinking leads to undesirable outcomes. Also, having unrefined views of the world may lead people to expect things to work out as their simplistic structure dictates. Happening rarely, such folks are generally unhappy and often disillusioned, frequently blaming their troubles on others or events.

We must recognize that cognitive complexity is not an either/or condition. In most cases people have varying degrees of it. Also, a person can have a healthy level of cognitive complexity in some areas of life and not in others. I know a lawyer who appears to have high cognitive complexity at work and very little when he is in conflict with someone outside of work. This is a classic case of a person who has selective high cognitive complexity possibly being overcome by his psychic complexity.

As we saw in the last post, when others disagree with us, our psychic disunity often surfaces, with bad results all around. A person with high cognitive complexity, seeing the world more expansively, has at least a chance to make a disagreement productive. Someone with low cognitive complexity may be unable to do that. He lives in fear of contrary information and lacks a subtle and nuanced view. Anyone who disagrees with his formulation must be severely dealt with. Counter-punchers, who see every opposition in child-like, either/or terms, reflexively and instantly defend their position and attack the other’s. There is no gray, there is no inquisitiveness, no expansiveness; there is only the need to prevail---low cognitive complexity.

Political partisans are my poster children for low (zero?) cognitive complexity, and for aggressive counter punchers. They live in an artificial world of absolute certainty, often detesting those with different views. Disagreement entails demolishing, and often demeaning, their opponent. They would sooner disembowel themselves than accept or search for contrary information. The only acceptable information confirms their existing views. And making things even worse is a rock-solid and profoundly intense emotional commitment to their belief.

Cognitive complexity is obviously beneficial to individuals and to society. But even if we have some, it can easily disappear in conflict settings. Naturally, this is deniable since the positive stories we tell ourselves about ourselves must remain inviolate. But not everyone wants to remain in this delusional and troubled state.

Becoming a person of high cognitive complexity interpersonally asks much of us since it involves our often long-conditioned adverse behavior patterns. Because the latter are often invisible to us, we need others to assist us in becoming aware. Soliciting and listening to these observations may fill us with dread. After all, who wants to hear bad news about themselves? But there is no easy way. The only way to the other side is through, not around. Fearlessness, perseverance and discipline are vital.