Pattern recognition

Pattern recognition is primarily a route to seeing the future. The ability to predict the future was important from an evolutionary point-of-view. It underpinned survival: anticipating danger or catching prey are two examples.

Our use of this ability to recognise patterns has itself evolved to expand its utility: solving puzzles, composing and listening to music or designing and implementing architecture could all be examples of this.

Being able to predict the future by recognising patterns also provides a sense of Certainty, which is one of the five key drivers of social interaction according to David Rock’s SCARF theory.