Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Koordination / Español: Coordinación / Português: Coordenação / Français: Coordination / Italiano: Coordinazione

In psychology, coordination refers to the ability to efficiently organize and align one’s thoughts, actions, or interactions to achieve a specific goal or outcome. This involves cognitive processes, motor skills, and social interactions, depending on the context in which coordination is being considered.

Description

Coordination in psychology is studied in various aspects of human behavior and mental processes. It includes motor coordination, which involves the synchronized and smooth execution of physical movements, and cognitive coordination, which pertains to the organization of cognitive processes to manage complex tasks or solve problems. In social contexts, coordination involves aligning actions and communication with others to achieve shared goals or manage interpersonal relations effectively.

In the realm of cognitive psychology, coordination is essential for tasks that require the integration of multiple cognitive functions, such as attention, memory, and decision-making. Social psychology studies coordination in terms of how individuals adjust their behaviors in group settings to facilitate cooperation and achieve common objectives.

Application Areas

Coordination is a key component in several psychological disciplines, including:

• Neuropsychology: Studies the brain functions underlying coordination of movement and cognitive processes.
• Developmental psychology: Examines how coordination skills develop from childhood through adulthood.
• Occupational psychology: Focuses on how coordination within and between teams can be improved to enhance workplace productivity and safety.

Well-Known Examples

Examples of psychological research and theories involving coordination include:

• Dual-task interference: Studies how performing two tasks simultaneously can affect motor and cognitive coordination, highlighting the brain’s capacity to handle multiple tasks.
• Mirror neurons research: Investigates how certain brain cells are involved in both performing and perceiving actions, which is crucial for understanding motor coordination and learning by imitation.

Treatment and Risks

Issues with coordination, whether motor, cognitive, or social, can lead to difficulties in daily functioning and interpersonal relationships. Treatments may involve physical therapy to improve motor coordination, cognitive training to enhance mental organization, and social skills training to better manage social interactions.

Similar Terms

Terms related to coordination in psychology might include:

• Synchronization: Often used in the context of timing and rhythm in movements or actions between individuals.
• Collaboration: Refers specifically to working jointly with others to accomplish a task, which requires effective social and task coordination.

Weblinks

• architektur-lexikon.de: 'Koordination' in the architektur-lexikon.de (German)
• medizin-und-kosmetik.de: 'Koordination' im Lexikon von medizin-und-kosmetik.de (German)
• space-glossary.com: 'Coordination' in the space-glossary.com

Articles with 'Coordination' in the title

• Coordination of secondary circular reactions: Coordination of secondary circular reactions refers to the fourth substage of Piaget’s sensorimotor stage in which infants begin or able to coordinate two (2) or more actions or behavior patterns to achieve simple objectives and goals
• Developmental coordination disorder: Developmental coordination disorder refers to a disorder involving deficits in the ability to walk, run, or hold on to objects. Other /More definition: Developmental coordination disorder refers to a condition or disorder characterized by m . . .

Summary

In psychology, coordination encompasses a broad range of abilities essential for the successful integration of thoughts, actions, and social interactions. It plays a critical role in both individual cognitive functions and group dynamics, influencing everything from personal development to organizational efficiency.

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