The simulative modality

Play, imitation, and pretense can all be explained in terms of a theoretical construct called the simulative modality (Bruner, 1972; Reynolds, 1976; Mitchell, 1994a). All these phenomena imply a separation between the form of behavior, its normal motivation, and its typical consequences in the wider world. The concept of the simulative modality, first scientifically proposed in the work of Gregory Bateson (1955/1972), is now poised to become a major theoretical framework, encompassing data from field primatology, human evolution, and cognitive psychology.

The strong form of the theory presented here consists of four major theoretical propositions: (1) the simulative modality consists of neurohumoral states that evolve in conjunction with the cerebral cortex of the primate brain; (2) social interaction stimulates the simulative modality and induces a mental model of one's own body and the bodies of others called the cognitive body; (3) the major psychological differences among primate species are due to the types of subcortical systems that are integrated into the simulative modality and by differentiation of a species-specific cognitive body; and (4) each type of cognitive body is expressed through a characteristic form of social organization.

Although the dominant theories of primate evolution treat symbolic processing as a laboratory curiosity, the theory of the simulative modality indicates that it is a normal and essential aspect of simian social organization, required for the development of status hierarchies, enduring mother-child dyads, and normal sexual relationships among adults.