What is meant by Functional architecture?

• A. A description of an information-processing system in terms of what its modules are and what the pathways of information flow between these modules are.
• B. The physical layout of neurons in the brain
• C. A theory about consciousness
• D. A model of neurotransmitter chemistry

Answer: (A)

Functional architecture describes how the mind’s information-processing system is organized into distinct processing modules and the pathways that connect and route information between those modules. It’s about what the system does and how the parts interact to produce cognition, not about the brain’s physical layout. For example, a reading process might be modeled with separate modules for recognizing letters, converting that input into sounds, and retrieving meaning, with information flowing between these modules in a defined sequence. This focuses on functional organization rather than anatomy. It’s not about the physical arrangement of neurons, nor about a theory of consciousness or neurotransmitter chemistry. So the description that captures functional architecture is the one that emphasizes modules and the information flow among them.