In cognitive theory, what is meant by modules?

• A. Modules = cognitive subsystems = cognitive processors
• B. Global networks
• C. Executive functions
• D. Behavioral outputs

Answer: (A)

In cognitive theory, modules are specialized cognitive subsystems or processors designed to handle a particular kind of information. This view emphasizes domain-specific, relatively automatic processing that is fast and often informationally encapsulated—each module operates largely on its own data without needing all other knowledge. Describing modules as cognitive subsystems or processors captures this idea: you might have a language-grammar module, a face-recognition module, or a spatial-processing module, each tuned to its own kind of input and producing outputs that feed into higher-level systems. This stands in contrast to global networks, which imply broad, interconnected, domain-general processing; executive functions, which are higher-level control processes that coordinate operations across domains; and behavioral outputs, which are the observable actions rather than the specialized processing units themselves.