Post on 12-Jan-2016
I am posting power point presentations with notes I am posting power point presentations with notes included, because some of you might find them useful. included, because some of you might find them useful. Please beware that unlike the Slides they go with, these Please beware that unlike the Slides they go with, these notes are NOT an official part of the course material, but notes are NOT an official part of the course material, but rather they are notes to the self. Thus, they may contain rather they are notes to the self. Thus, they may contain
errors, be unclear to follow, etc. errors, be unclear to follow, etc.
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Cognitive Psychology 4500 Cognitive Psychology 4500 Spring 2010Spring 2010
Section 1: MWSection 1: MW Section 2: MFSection 2: MF
Dr. Diego Fernandez DuqueDr. Diego Fernandez Duque
Today’s take-home messageToday’s take-home message
psychology psychology seemsseems intuitive intuitive (unlike (unlike chemistry)chemistry)
but our but our intuitions are often wrongintuitions are often wrong
rather than relying only on intuition, rather than relying only on intuition, we should apply the scientific method we should apply the scientific method (like we do in chemistry)(like we do in chemistry)
Which center circle seems larger?
Visual Illusions: Sometimes we misperceive reality
Visual AttentionVisual Attention Basketball task Change Blindness
Although we Although we believebelieve that we have a complete and that we have a complete and detailed visual representation of the outside world, detailed visual representation of the outside world, studies on visual attention tell us otherwisestudies on visual attention tell us otherwise
our perception is constrained by our our perception is constrained by our knowledgeknowledge
… sometimes multiple meanings exist
(ambiguous figure)
A memory testA memory test
• Listen carefully to the list of words but don’t Listen carefully to the list of words but don’t write them downwrite them down
• When the list ends, count backward ‘by When the list ends, count backward ‘by threes’ starting at ‘42’ (39, 36, etc.)threes’ starting at ‘42’ (39, 36, etc.)
• When you get to ‘0’, write down all the When you get to ‘0’, write down all the words you recallwords you recall
sour candy sugar bitter good taste tooth nice honey soda chocolat
e
heart cake tart pie
Sometimes we misremember reality
Based on your gut feelings, quickly write down:
1. Your six FAVORITE letters
2. Your six LEAST FAVORITE letters
Look over each list and circle all of the letters that occur in your own first name. Count the number of circled letters in each list.
Which list included more of theletters from your own first name??
Sometimes our choices are influenced by things other than the ones we believe are causing them
The Wason Card Selection Task
A F 6 7
If a card has a vowel on one side, it has an even number on the other side.
Which cards should be turned over to determined whether this rule is being followed?
A F 6 7
The correct answer:
Most people select A and 6 to test the ‘if and only if’
Confirmation bias: We fail to truly test our beliefs
14
Sometimes intuition is rightSometimes intuition is right– When ‘silently’ rehearsing a phone When ‘silently’ rehearsing a phone
number, we use the brain speech areas. number, we use the brain speech areas.
but other times, it is notbut other times, it is not
In sumIn sum, psychology , psychology seemsseems intuitive intuitive (unlike (unlike chemistry)chemistry)
but intuitions are often wrongbut intuitions are often wrong– We mis-perceive (visual illusions)We mis-perceive (visual illusions)– We mis-remember (memory illusions)We mis-remember (memory illusions)– We are mis-guided (unconscious influences)We are mis-guided (unconscious influences)– We fail to check conclusions (poor We fail to check conclusions (poor
reasoning)reasoning)
we shouldn’t rely only on intuition.we shouldn’t rely only on intuition. we should apply the scientific method we should apply the scientific method
(like we do in chemistry): SYSTEMATIC (like we do in chemistry): SYSTEMATIC
How to investigate Perception & How to investigate Perception & CognitionCognition
Ask your subjects (Introspectionism)Ask your subjects (Introspectionism) First-Person Privileged AccessFirst-Person Privileged Access - before you ask, train your subjects- before you ask, train your subjects
Shortcomings of Introspectionism:Shortcomings of Introspectionism:– It provides access to It provides access to productsproducts of thinking, rather of thinking, rather
than the than the processesprocesses that underlie it. that underlie it.– It relies on It relies on conscious reportconscious report: Many interesting : Many interesting
mental events are unconscious (e.g. memory mental events are unconscious (e.g. memory retrieval, or visual processes that lead to retrieval, or visual processes that lead to perceptual perceptual illusionsillusions).).
Edward Titchener
(1867-1927)
How to investigate Perception & How to investigate Perception & CognitionCognition
Ask your subjects (Introspectionism, Ask your subjects (Introspectionism, 1900s)1900s)
Look at S-R patterns (Behaviorism, ’40s)
- Restricts psychology to truly objective, observable data
- Reaction against Instrospectionism
Behaviorism
Stimulus
Response
Study stimulus-response relations, but do NOT attempt to understand unobservable mental processes
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning
Neutral stimulus becomes associated Neutral stimulus becomes associated with a stimulus that already produces a with a stimulus that already produces a responseresponse
1.1. sight of foodsight of foodsalivationsalivation
3. bell and food seen together3. bell and food seen together
4. bell4. bell salivation salivation
Behaviorism Behaviorism Psychology is the “science of behavior.” Psychology is the “science of behavior.” Emphasis on what can be Emphasis on what can be directly directly
observedobserved..– Stimuli Stimuli Responses Responses– Reinforcements / RewardsReinforcements / Rewards
Ignore the mind (unobservable).Ignore the mind (unobservable). Goal: predict behaviorGoal: predict behavior
Assets of BehaviorismAssets of Behaviorism
rigorous scientific observation rigorous scientific observation controlled laboratory settings. controlled laboratory settings. Applicable to certain areas (e.g., Applicable to certain areas (e.g.,
learning: pairing of stimuli and learning: pairing of stimuli and responses)responses)
Problems with Problems with BehaviorismBehaviorism
Limiting science to observable things is a Limiting science to observable things is a bad idea. Theories bad idea. Theories areare about unobservable about unobservable
Can’t account for much of human behavior.Can’t account for much of human behavior.– Language; AttentionLanguage; Attention
ExamplesExamples– Language (Chomsky, 1959)Language (Chomsky, 1959)
Novel words, over-generalizations, no feedbackNovel words, over-generalizations, no feedback– ‘‘mano’ (hand) -> ‘nano’ (mano’ (hand) -> ‘nano’ (meaninglessmeaningless))– ‘ ‘no mas’ (no more) -> ‘ma no’ no mas’ (no more) -> ‘ma no’
Vs. Associative Learning (Baldwin, 1992)Vs. Associative Learning (Baldwin, 1992)– Referential lookingReferential looking
– AttentionAttention Change blindnessChange blindness
– Two different stimulus -> same perceptionTwo different stimulus -> same perception– Same stimulus -> different perceptionSame stimulus -> different perception
– Spatial learning (Cognitive Maps, Tolman 1930)Spatial learning (Cognitive Maps, Tolman 1930)
What do Tolman’s Maps look like?
Edward C. Tolman (1886-1959)
learning can occur without reinforcement:learning can occur without reinforcement: Such ‘latent learning’ goes against standard behavioristic principles, which claim that learning comes only from outcomes
X
this ability cannot be explained only by links between stimuli and responses. A better explanation is to pose the existence of an internal spatial map
later they can deduce the shorter path.
Rats learn to follow this path …
X
Cognitive Maps in BeesCognitive Maps in Bees, , von Frisch von Frisch 19671967
behavior of bees returning to behavior of bees returning to hive after locating nectarhive after locating nectar
Can use a symbolic form of Can use a symbolic form of communicationcommunication
Different patterns of dances Different patterns of dances represent different meaningsrepresent different meanings
Round danceRound dance: source less than 100 : source less than 100 yards from hiveyards from hive
Figure 8 danceFigure 8 dance: greater distances: greater distances
Behaviorism
Stimulus
Response
Study stimulus-response relations, but do NOT attempt to understand unobservable mental processes
Cognitive Psychology
Stimulus
Response
Study stimulus-response relations to infer the underlying mental processes. The contents of the mind CAN be studied scientifically
How to investigate Perception & How to investigate Perception & CognitionCognition
Ask your subjects (Introspectionism)Ask your subjects (Introspectionism)
Look at S-R patterns (Behaviorism)Look at S-R patterns (Behaviorism)
Infer mental processes (Cognitive Infer mental processes (Cognitive Psychology)Psychology)– from S-R patterns (Reaction Time, Accuracy)from S-R patterns (Reaction Time, Accuracy)– from neural patterns (cognitive from neural patterns (cognitive
neuroscience) neuroscience)
Next ….How cognitive psychologists make inferences about what’s inside the black box...
SPARE SLIDES
It is hard to predict based on intuition It is hard to predict based on intuition
Answer: True/False; how sure you are about it?Answer: True/False; how sure you are about it?
People usually fall in love with someone very different from People usually fall in love with someone very different from themselves. In other words, opposites attract. themselves. In other words, opposites attract. T or FT or F
How sure? How sure? 5050 6060 7070 8080 9090 100100 just guessingjust guessing certaincertain
It is an optical illusion when the moon appears larger on the It is an optical illusion when the moon appears larger on the
horizon than it does overhead.horizon than it does overhead. T or F T or F
How sure? How sure? 5050 6060 7070 8080 9090 100100 just guessingjust guessing certaincertain
Hypnosis can help people accurately recall a crime scene Hypnosis can help people accurately recall a crime scene T T or For F
How sure? How sure? 5050 6060 7070 8080 9090 100100
just guessingjust guessing certaincertain
Instead of relying on intuition, we Instead of relying on intuition, we should should measure behaviormeasure behavior
For example, how long does it take to respond?For example, how long does it take to respond?
carefully measuring carefully measuring reaction time,reaction time, we can we can discover the steps of mental processing: discover the steps of mental processing: Cognitive Psychology (Cognitive Psychology (psy4500)psy4500) Cognitive Science Cognitive Science ((minorminor))
To do it well requires:To do it well requires:– A detailed analysis of the mental steps, and A detailed analysis of the mental steps, and – A comparison between two conditions that are identical A comparison between two conditions that are identical
other than in the step being investigated.other than in the step being investigated.– Preferably using stimulus and designs that are simplePreferably using stimulus and designs that are simple– A classic example: Stroop TaskA classic example: Stroop Task
GREEN
BLUE
YELLOW
RED
BLUE
YELLOW
RED
BLUE
GREEN
RED
ORANGE
BLUE
GREEN
YELLOW
ORANGE
GREEN
PURPLE
GREEN
BLACK
YELLOW
Class activityClass activity
List the ways in which:List the ways in which:
– the two trials were well matchedthe two trials were well matched
– the trials differed from each otherthe trials differed from each other
– the experiment could be improvedthe experiment could be improved
Group activity