Chapter 1 - Cognitive Science Approach PDF

Chapter 1 - Cognitive Scien… Chapter 1: Cognitive Science Approach Key Themes in Cognition and Affective Processes - Attention: (Focused, Selective, Multitasking and Limited Resources or Capacity ) - Multiple Levels and types of Memory storage:...

Chapter 1 - Cognitive Scien… Chapter 1: Cognitive Science Approach Key Themes in Cognition and Affective Processes - Attention: (Focused, Selective, Multitasking and Limited Resources or Capacity ) - Multiple Levels and types of Memory storage: (STM/LTM/Semantic/Episodic/ Procedural) and the interactions between the different levels generate learning reasoning, problem- solving, and intelligence - Representation, Organization, and Categorization of information in memory - Automatic Processing: Information is quickly without awareness and does NOT require a demanding amount of attention - Conscious Processing: Information is deliberately processed with the use of awareness and requires a demanding amount of attention - Conscious mental processes occur in stages that take time (I.e. Multi-stage theories of cognitive processes) - Information processing approach: Cognition and learning emerge from the coordinated operation of active mental processes within a multi-component memory system - Automatic processes allow people to work on “auto-pilot” and efficiently but do not have the flexibility of Conscious processes - Bottom-u Processes: Processing of information that is driven by the available and immediate information from the environment = CURRENT INFORMATION - Top Down Processes: Processing of information that is driven by background knowledge, Preconceptions, and expectations = PRIOR INFORMATION Stroop Effect (Stroop, 1935) - The automatic process of reading interferes with the controlled process of naming aloud the color of a word ( I.e Red, Blue, Green) - Successful performance on the Stroop task involves suppression of the automatic processing of information - Variations on the Stroop task were developed to investigate the suppression of automatic processing and the interference of other cognitive processes - Global (Gestalt): processing the bigger Picture. Seen as a whole - Local (Focused/Detailed): processing the smaller details - Parallel Processing of Information: Multiple cognitive processes can co-occur at the same time. This helps promote cognitive efficiency and emerges through the activation of multiple brain regions or through extensive practice Levels of Analysis (Marr, 1982) - Functional level: What is the goal of the computations? (The function/purpose of the cognitive processes. Information inputs and behavioral outputs of the system) :  - The function/ purpose of the cognitive processes Information inputs and behavioral outputs of the system - Algorithm and Computation level: What are the representations of storing inputs, and the steps and rules that transform inputs into outputs? (The cognitive processes such as a memory and attention)= SOFTWARE (Applications/memory) - Hardware level: How are the algorithm and computations implemented? (The papers of the brain that processes memory and attention) =HARDWARE (Device/brain) Methods in Measuring Information Processing - Reaction Time (RT): The time elapsed when a stimulus is presented and the person’s response to the stimulus - Typically measured in milliseconds - Faster reaction times represent the automatic processing of highly accessible information - Reading Times: The time needed to read through a sentence or a passage - Verbal Protocols: A description and analysis of a participant's verbalizations of their thinking processes during reasoning or problem-solving (This process is a window at self- awareness about our own mental/thinking processes - Preference Method: Involves the ability of a stimulus to be chosen by a participant given an available competitive stimulus - Measured by probability choice Special Type of Preference Method - Eye Tracking: is the process of measuring either the point of gaze (Where we are looking) or the motion of an eye relative to the head. An eye tracker is a device for measuring eye positions and eye movement - (I.e. Yarbus, 1967) eye tracking is used to track the patterns from a painting based on different subjects focused - Accuracy Measures: The number and type of errors a participant makes. (ex. How many items does a participant correctly recall? Which items were omitted? What type of information is recalled?) - Often measured as a probability or percent correct Wisconsin Card Sort Task - Participants are given a set of cards to sort (Color, number, and shape) - Participants are given feedback if they are performing the correct sorting or not - Rules of sorting the cards are constantly changed throughout the task by the experimenter Inducing Unconscious Cognitive Processes: Priming - Priming: A process where an initially presented stimulus might influence some later cognitive process - Priming can activate automatic, unconscious cognitive processes - Demonstration of Priming: You will be shown anagrams (Letters that are jumbled that can be rearranged to form words. Before being shown an anagram, a word will appear (Prime). When the anagram (Target) does appear, shout aloud the correct unscrambled word for the anagram Neurocognition :  - The interface between the cognitive processes and the regions of the brain responsible for a given cognitive process Principles of Brain Function - Localization of function: Specific areas of the brain perform specific functions. Makes the processing of information more efficient - Contralaterality: The receptor and control centers for one side of the Body are in the opposite hemisphere of the brain - Hemispheric Specialization: Different brain functions tend to rely more heavily on one hemisphere or the other (Ex. The left hemisphere controls most language functions and the right hemisphere handles most visual-spatial processing for most right-handed people) Different Approaches to Investigate Cognitive Processes in the Brain - Cognitive NeuroPsychology: Researchers examine the behaviors and high-level processes (Attention, memory, language) of patients with unique brain damage in different contexts, or with different stimuli. (Case studies, Animal models of Cognition)=COGNITION BASED - Cognitive NueroScience: Researchers perform experimental manipulation of stimuli presented to human participants and then observe the parts of the brain that gain a boost in physiological activity. (Use of advanced brain imaging methods)=BRAIN BASED Key Assumptions In Mapping The Living Brain - During a cognitive activity, there are parts of the brain that are working harder in comparison to other parts of the brain. Therefore, this region will use up more energy (glucose), oxygen, and generate more activity (more electrical activity) in relation to other brain parts - Subtraction method: Baseline activity for a specific task is recorded (control stimulus) natural activity for an experimental task is recorded (experimental stimulus). Subtract the brain activity during baseline task from the experimental task Methods in Mapping The Living Brain - Electroencephalogram (EEG): Use electrodes placed on the scalp to measure brain electrical activities. Used to diagnose epilepsy - Event Related Potential (ERP): An averaged measurement of EEG that is directly the result of a thought or perception experienced bt a participant. This highlights the specific timing involved in a cognitive process. But it can only approximate the location of the brain activity - (These give an excellent description of the timing of cognitive processes in the brain, but it does not describe where the cognitive processes occur) - Positron- Emission Tomography(PET)SCAN: Metabolism of glucose (via mild radioactive isotpe marker (2 deoxyglucose) and a special scanner) - Functional Magnetic Resonancec Imaging(FMRI): Scanner measures the oxygenated bloodflow in the areas of the brain - Both give excellent descriptions where in the brain cognitive processes occur, but it does not describe the timing of the cognitive processes - Transcarnial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): Using a powerful magnetic field to inactive patches of neurons Cognitive and Motor Functions of the Cerebral Cortex :  - Occipital Lobes: Processing of visual information = EYES - Parietal Lobes: Integrates information from the world. It contains the somatosensory cortex that receives information about pain, touch pressure and temperature from the body. It also processes spatial representation = SKIN - Temporal Lobes: Processing of auditory information, memory, perception and emotion =EARS - Frontal Lobes: Contains the Motor Cortex and Premotor cortex that initiate voluntary muscle movements. Also involved in short term memory and speech production = LIMBS - Prefrontal Cortex(From the Frontal Lobe): This serves in advanced planning, self- control, short term working memory, impulse control and other higher cognitive functions. It coordinates the activity of various parts of the brain = COGNITION - Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex - Medial Prefrontal cortex - Ventral Prefrontal Cortex :