In my last post, I explained the defining characteristics of cognitive models and the main steps to developing a cognitive model. In this post, I’ll discuss the advantages of cognitive modeling over alternative approaches to studying human cognition and behavior, and a precaution to be taken about interpreting modeling results. As in my last post, I will illustrate my points in the context of two competing models of human categorization mechanisms. According to the prototype model of categorization, learners abstract and memorize a single summary representation, namely the prototype for each category from all examples already learned in that category. When a new probe item is presented, the similarity of this probe to each category prototype is evaluated, and the category with the most similar prototype is chosen. For example, a prototype-based view on how people categorize a novel-looking pet as a cat or dog would be that the learner first abstracts the mental images of typical dog and cat faces by morphing all the salient features for both types of the pets. Then the learner makes the categorization decision by evaluating the relative similarity of the face of the new pet to the two typical faces. In contrast, the exemplar model of categorization specifies that learned examples from all categories were memorized, and the new probe item is classified into the category whose constituent examples are, in sum, most similar to the probe. So, in the example of dog vs. cat categorization, the exemplar-based view would be that the learner makes the categorization decision by comparing the overall similarity of the new pet face to the individual faces for both dogs and cats one has seen.
How did we find out that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs?
This post was written by Nathan Roden.
If you ask almost any kid today how the dinosaurs died, they’ll tell you an asteroid killed them, but this didn’t used to be the leading theory. When you look at key papers about the asteroid impact the kids are referring to, you’ll learn that it defined the transition from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary ~66 million years ago. Before the discovery of the asteroid, there wasn’t a single agreed upon theory on what caused the 5th global mass extinction. Not only did this mass extinction kill off the dinosaurs, but it also allowed the age of the mammals to begin. But how did scientists theorize about the 5th mass extinction before the asteroid discovery? (more…)
Using mathematics to study psychology. Part 1
If you’ve ever thought about the life of a graduate student in psychology, you might have pictured someone who is asking research participants probing questions about their hidden thoughts, or perhaps someone who is discreetly observing human subjects completing some tasks while taking quick note of their behavior. In reality, we psychology students spend most of our time learning advanced statistical methods and grappling with quantitative analyses of noisy behavioral data that are difficult to interpret. People not familiar with the norms of the field often find it surprising that mathematics plays a central role in psychological research, as they tend to believe that mathematics is more useful for studying natural sciences that are objective and quantifiable, such as physics, than for studying behavioral sciences that are subjective and not amenable to measurement, such as psychology. In fact, psychology can be just as mathematically rigorous as any of the natural sciences, and the use of mathematical tools is vital to gaining a deeper, precise, and more confident understanding of the human mind as compared to – on the other extreme – armchair psychology that oftentimes leads to wishy-washy interpretations of how humans think. Over the past few decades, major theoretical journals in all subfields of psychology have seen a proliferation of research involving cognitive modeling, which is the formalization of human thinking in terms of mathematical, information-processing language. In this part of the two-part series, I’ll introduce the concept of cognitive modeling and explain the differences between cognitive, conceptual, and statistical models. (more…)
Increasing inclusivity one element at a time
Achieving full inclusion for people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics – STEAM – has become a global matter. People with disabilities in STEAM are underrepresented in postsecondary academic environments and the job market. The police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25th, 2020, was in many ways a catalyst for the global recognition of the need for greater inclusivity. Since then, universities, departments, and individual faculty members have become increasingly committed to improving diversity, inclusivity, and equity (DEI) in academia. (more…)
What makes a joke funny? Part 2
Making others laugh is a tough job, but surely there are a few who have mastered it. So, what is the secret of their success? Is there a formula or a trick to being funny? This blog post tries to answer this question by discussing what psychologists and cognitive scientists (who take humor very seriously :p) have found out. (more…)
Can we climb mountains on neutron stars?
Each year around a thousand people attempt to reach the peak of Mount Everest, which is the tallest mountain on Earth, rising approximately 9 km above sea level. On Mars, the mountain Olympus Mons goes up about 22 km, which more than doubles the height of Mount Everest. Furthermore, Galileo Galilei observed that the Moon also has mountains. What about mountains on other types of astrophysical bodies? How tall are they? Can we climb them? (more…)
What makes a joke funny? Part 1
Have you ever been to a stand-up comedy show and wondered how someone is able to make other people laugh? Or perhaps you were awestruck by how the writer of your favorite comedy show/movie was able to identify exactly what a whole bunch of strangers will find funny? This blog may be able to quench some of that curiosity. (more…)
How rat behavior may inform our understanding of racism
In celebration of Black History Month, please enjoy this post by our Managing Editor, J Wolny.
Researchers use rats to provide evidence that biases in the extension of helping behavior is a product of experience—not genetically ingrained.
Imagine that you wake up in a small room with no doors. You quickly realize that there is no way out. Oh, shoot. Further, you see that there is another individual trapped in a small cylindrical Plexiglas container in the middle of this arena, with barely any room to move. You are not sure what the consequences could be if you go investigate—something could hurt you. Someone may grab you and trap you in a claustrophobia-inducing container as well. The first thought that comes to mind may be the Saw movie series, so you would likely be reluctant. (more…)
Miss Understanding: Debunking misconceptions about vaping
“This isn’t nicotine, it’s just a vape!” Have you heard this before? Well, if you have, you’re probably not the only one. The real question is, is it true? There is so much information online, it’s hard to really know! Turns out, there is also a lot of misinformation about vaping. Lucky for you, kind reader, Miss Understanding (that’s me – hi) is here to debunk a few of the misconceptions surrounding vaping. (more…)
Wakanda Forever: The chemistry of Vibranium
Proceed with caution as there are some movie spoilers here for those who haven’t already seen the Wakanda Forever: Black Panther movie. If you have seen the movie or even read the Marvel comics, then you should be familiar with the powerful element, Vibranium. Vibranium is an element that possesses astonishing chemical and physical properties. So, let’s take a moment to discuss what the big deal is about elements. In the world, everything is made of matter. Matter can be broken down into tiny puzzle pieces called atoms, which make up building blocks called elements. Elements are any pure substance that cannot be decomposed into smaller components by a regular chemical process. Elements are the fundamental materials of which all matter is composed.