thinking! psychology 2606 some introductory thoughts we are clearly the most cognitively complex...

Thinking!Thinking!

Psychology 2606Psychology 2606

Some introductory thoughtsSome introductory thoughts

We are clearly the most cognitively We are clearly the most cognitively complex animals on this planetcomplex animals on this planet

We can think about objects that are not We can think about objects that are not presentpresent

We can think about abstract ideasWe can think about abstract ideasWe use symbolic and syntactic languageWe use symbolic and syntactic languageWe plan and string events togetherWe plan and string events together

So, how is thought encoded in the So, how is thought encoded in the brain?brain?

Monkeys, dots, motion and V5Monkeys, dots, motion and V5 So, individual cortical neurons were detecting So, individual cortical neurons were detecting

motion and making decisionsmotion and making decisions Hebb’s idea of the cell assemblyHebb’s idea of the cell assembly The association cortex is key in thoughtThe association cortex is key in thought Anything not primary is association (that is most Anything not primary is association (that is most

of the cortex)of the cortex) Receives input from the thalamus, but from Receives input from the thalamus, but from

areas that themselves get input from primary areas that themselves get input from primary sensory areassensory areas

Spatial cognitionSpatial cognition

Our ability to deal with spatial stimuli may Our ability to deal with spatial stimuli may have helped us evolve ‘consciousness’have helped us evolve ‘consciousness’

That and the standing up and big heart That and the standing up and big heart thingthing

We seem to have specialized sub systems We seem to have specialized sub systems to deal with different types of informationto deal with different types of information

Modules if you willModules if you will

A Purely Geometric Module in A Purely Geometric Module in Human Spatial Human Spatial

Representation?Representation?David R. BrodbeckDavid R. Brodbeck 1 1

Andrea E. Pike Andrea E. Pike 22

Cory Spracklin Cory Spracklin 11

Department of PsychologyDepartment of Psychology

1-Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1-Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NLCorner Brook, NL

2-Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL2-Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL

IntroductionIntroduction

Cheng (1986) got the ball rollingCheng (1986) got the ball rollingOr the cocoa puff, as the case may be…Or the cocoa puff, as the case may be…

Basically, he found that rats would use Basically, he found that rats would use geometric information to locate food in a geometric information to locate food in a rectangular arenarectangular arenaMost of their errors were to rotations of the Most of their errors were to rotations of the

originally baited locationoriginally baited location

Cheng (1986)Cheng (1986) He then applied featural He then applied featural

informationinformation wallswalls cornerscorners

The rats still made errors, The rats still made errors, though most of these though most of these were rotational errorswere rotational errors

He concluded that the He concluded that the rats were responding to rats were responding to the geometry of the box.the geometry of the box.

Hermer and Spelke (1994)Hermer and Spelke (1994)

Tried the Cheng task with Tried the Cheng task with toddlers and adultstoddlers and adults

Disoriented the subjectsDisoriented the subjects Using a cueUsing a cue Toddlers are not unlike Toddlers are not unlike

ratsrats Adults are different, seem Adults are different, seem

to follow the cueto follow the cue Same in Pike (2001)Same in Pike (2001)

MethodMethod

We decided to rotate the objectWe decided to rotate the objectA rectangle on a computer monitorA rectangle on a computer monitor

Subjects (or participants, or whatever..) Subjects (or participants, or whatever..) were shown a red dot on a black rectanglewere shown a red dot on a black rectangle

The rectangle was spun about the middleThe rectangle was spun about the middleDot fadedDot fadedWhere was the dot?Where was the dot?

Uncued Test ResultsUncued Test Results

Original Dot LocationOriginal Dot Location

31.0% +/- 2.7731.0% +/- 2.77

Reflection ErrorReflection Error

18.2% +/- 3.4318.2% +/- 3.43


17.4% +/- 2.8817.4% +/- 2.88

Rotational ErrorRotational Error

33.4% +/- 3.94 33.4% +/- 3.94

Cued Rectangle ResultsCued Rectangle Results


37.2% +/- 3.5837.2% +/- 3.58


11.6% +/- 3.3811.6% +/- 3.38


10.8% +/- 2.8810.8% +/- 2.88


40.4% +/- 3.62 40.4% +/- 3.62

So what?So what?

Well, it seems that whenever they can, Well, it seems that whenever they can, people will use geometry in this taskpeople will use geometry in this task

Even if there is a reliable cueEven if there is a reliable cueWhat if we made geometry useless?What if we made geometry useless?A squareA square

Uncued SquareUncued Square


23.2% +/- 2.5723.2% +/- 2.57


24.8% +/- 3.4624.8% +/- 3.46


23.4% +/- 2.9923.4% +/- 2.99


28.6% +/- 4.00 28.6% +/- 4.00

Cued SquareCued Square


34.2% +/- 2.7934.2% +/- 2.79


23.2% +/- 3.6323.2% +/- 3.63


28.0% +/- 3.0128.0% +/- 3.01


14.6% +/- 3.77 14.6% +/- 3.77

What does it all mean?What does it all mean?

Evidence of a feature independent Evidence of a feature independent geometric modulegeometric module

People will use features, if forcedPeople will use features, if forcedUnder certain circumstancesUnder certain circumstances

Rotational errors disappear when Rotational errors disappear when geometry is uselessgeometry is uselessErrors then become based on the featureErrors then become based on the feature

So, What Does It All Mean?So, What Does It All Mean?

Clear evidence (we think) of a feature Clear evidence (we think) of a feature independent, geometric module in human independent, geometric module in human spatial processingspatial processing

Perhaps if we slowed the rotation we Perhaps if we slowed the rotation we would find better performance, and fewer would find better performance, and fewer rotational errors in the cued conditionrotational errors in the cued condition (Rotation was titrated until we found errors (Rotation was titrated until we found errors

reliably)reliably)

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Does Length : Width follow Weber’s Law?Does Length : Width follow Weber’s Law?What if the dot was put closer to the centre What if the dot was put closer to the centre

of the stimulus?of the stimulus?Touch screenTouch screenHmmm what about pigeons?Hmmm what about pigeons?

Thanks toThanks to

So we have a spatial moduleSo we have a spatial module

It may be the case that input from this It may be the case that input from this spatial module, or cell assemblies on top spatial module, or cell assemblies on top of cell assemblies comes together in of cell assemblies comes together in associative areasassociative areas

These modules can be isolated WITHOUT These modules can be isolated WITHOUT wet neurophysiologywet neurophysiology

So, ‘the dot is here’ could be considered a So, ‘the dot is here’ could be considered a ‘thought’‘thought’

Putting it togetherPutting it together

In the cortex there are columns, individual In the cortex there are columns, individual bunches of cells that go across layers of bunches of cells that go across layers of the cortex that seem to for circuits togetherthe cortex that seem to for circuits together

Is this the unit of thought?Is this the unit of thought?Well, it might have something to do with itWell, it might have something to do with itBut still, we put all of our sensory and But still, we put all of our sensory and

memorial thoughts together to form an memorial thoughts together to form an experienceexperience

We started philosophically, why We started philosophically, why not end that waynot end that way

So, how are all of these things put So, how are all of these things put together into an experience?together into an experience?

The Binding ProblemThe Binding ProblemThis, and the engram may be the holy This, and the engram may be the holy

grails of neuroscience and psychologygrails of neuroscience and psychology

thinking! psychology 2606 some introductory thoughts we are clearly the most cognitively complex...

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