i ntroduction to c ognitive p sychology 1 ravi k. vatrapu director, computatioanl social science...
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INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
1
Ravi K. VatrapuDirector, Computatioanl Social Science Laboratory (CSSL)
Associate Professor, Center for Applied ICT (CAICT)Copenhagen Business School
Howitzvej 60, 2.10; Frederiksberg, DK-2000, DenmarkPhone: +45-2479-4315
[email protected] http://www.itu.dk/people/rkva/
Monday, 31-Jan-2011T14: Human Information Processing: Lecture 02
2A20, ITU, Copenhagen, Denmark
Cognitive Psychology Is…• The study of how people perceive, learn,
remember, and think about information.
Problem Solving
Attention
Memory Decision Making
ReadingLanguage
Structuralism(Titchener)“Elements”
Functionalism(James)“Process”
Synthesis:
Associationism(Ebbinghaus & Thorndike)
Associationism (Thorndike)“Satisfaction”
Behaviorism(Pavlov) “Contingency”
Synthesis:
Radical Behaviorism Should study only environment and behavior—not thoughts.(Watson & Skinner)
BehaviorismDominated until….
Synthesis:
Cognitions should play an active role in psychology (Gestalt, Bandura)
Less radicalBehavioristCognitive Map –a thought! (Tolman)
Important to Cognitive Psychology• Lashley emphasized that the brain actively
processes information
• Hebb targeted cells as center of learning
• Chompsky’s review of Skinner’s Verbal Behavior: “reductio ad absurdum”
Important to Cognitive Psychology• 1950’s Development of Computers
• Turing Test and Artificial Intelligence
• A "cognitive revolution” occurred and increased interest in the study of mental processes (cognitions)
Goals of Research
• Data Gathering• Data Analysis• Theory Development• Hypothesis formation• Hypothesis testing• Application to real world
Research Methods
• Experiments• Psychobiological studies• Self report• Case studies• Naturalistic Observation• Computer Simulations
In an Experiment…• Random sample of participants• Manipulate the Independent Variable
– Create experimental group– Create control group– Randomly assign participants
• Measure the Dependent Variable– Same for all groups
• Control all other variables– Prevent confounds
Typical Independent Variables
• Manipulate stimulus materials– Compare words to non-words– Compare color diagrams to black and white– Compare Yes questions to No questions
• Control how participants process materials– Use imagery to study versus repetition– Vary speed of presentation of materials
Typical Dependent Variables
• Reaction Time (milliseconds)– Mental events take time
• Accuracy/Error analysis – How well the participant does on a task
Correlational Studies
• Cannot infer causation• Simply measure variables of interest• Nature of relationship
– Positive Correlation– Negative Correlation
• Strength of relationship– Determined by size of “r”
Example of Correlational Cognitive Study
• An examination of the relationship between confidence and accuracy of eyewitnesses
• What do you think the relationship is?
Positive? Negative? Strong? Weak?
It is not a strong positive correlation!Many studies indicate that high confidence does not mean high accuracy.
Psychobiological Studies
• Postmortem studies– Examine the cortex of dyslexics after death
• Brain damaged individuals and their deficits– Study amnesiacs with hippocampus damage
• Monitor a participant doing a cognitive task– Measure brain activity while a participant is reciting a
poem
Self Report Studies
• Verbal Protocol– Participants describe their conscious thoughts
while solving a story problem• Diary Study
– Participants keep track of memory failures• Naturalistic Observation
– Monitor decision making of pilots during flights
Case Studies
• Intensive studies of individuals– May examine archival records, interviews, direct
observation, or participant-observations • Creativity of successful individuals• The deficits of a neglected child
Computers in Research
• Analogy for human Cognition– The sequence of symbol manipulation
that underlies thinking – The goal: discovery of the programs in
humans’ memory• Computer simulations of Artificial
Intelligence– Recreate human processes using
computers
Underlying Themes• Nature vs. Nurture• Rationalism vs. Empiricism• Structures vs. Processes• Domain Generality vs. Domain Specificity• Causal Inferences vs. Ecological validity• Applied vs. Basic Research• Biological vs. Behavioral Methods
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
Theory
Data
Data can only be fully explained with theories, and theories are insufficient without data – thus creating the cycle of science.
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Cognition is typically adaptive, but errors made can be informative.– Example- Spoonerisms:
• A lack of pies (A pack of lies) • It's roaring with pain (It's pouring with rain)
– Errors can be used to infer how speech production occurs.
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Cognitive processes interact with each other and with non-cognitive processes– Emotions may affect decisions– Working memory capacity contributes to reading
speed– Perception contributes to memory decisions
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Many different methods are used to study cognition– Experiments– Correlational studies– Individual differences– Case studies– Clinical studies
Key Ideas in Cognitive…• Basic research often leads to important
applications and applied research often contributes to a more basic understanding of cognition– Priming is explained by spreading activation in
memory, and can also explain why skilled readers may read faster
– Studying the common errors that 1st graders make in math class can help us to better understand how humans process mathematical information