Cognition Levels Diagram

Adapted from Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Objects, here is my first draft of his three levels of cognition:

• The reflective level where conscious thought and decision-making takes place
• The subconcious behaviorial behavioral level where we process expectations
• The deeply subconcious visceral level related to simple muscular movement and body tension

My diagram includes two concepts that map onto the cognition levels:

1. The stages of action (ALL CAPS)
2. The emotional states that correspond to different actions and levels.

Disclaimer: This blog post is about the diagram, not about psychology. Don Norman's book is a great place to begin if you want to gain a better understanding of cognition than I'm offering here.

I believe in iteration, and this is my first draft. Feedback is welcome and appreciated, especially along these lines: How could it be more clear? Or make your own version and share it with me @_nathanlucy or nathan@nathanlucy.com. I've attached my OmniGraffle file below.