The anticipating heart

Abstract

The perceptions associated with the heartbeat are often interpreted as representative for what is occurring inside the body or as a response to external influences. Older and more recent theories have highlighted autonomous reactions with associated underlying neurological (brain) activity. We report here on research carried on at the Anokhin Research Institute of Normal Physiology. Based on this research, we argue that the heartbeat should be associated with psychological and cognitive processes. This will help overcome the reductionist fixation on localization, which is usually unproductive. Instead of seeking microstructure detail, we should relate to the whole “map” (an idea inspired by Kolmogorov’s metaphor of knowledge acquisition). The heart within the dynamic system of mental procedures is a perspective that can lead to progress in understanding how anticipation is expressed.