What is Cognitive Psychology? Broad Definition –empirical investigation of mental events and knowledge involved in recognizing an object, remembering a name, having an idea, understanding a sentence, and solving a problem Specific Definition - the empirical investigation of mental processes and activities used in perceiving, remembering, and thinking, and the act of using those processes.

Broad Definition –empirical investigation of mental events and knowledge involved in recognizing an object, remembering a name, having an idea, understanding a sentence, and solving a problem

Specific Definition - the empirical investigation of mental processes and activities used in perceiving, remembering, and thinking, and the act of using those processes.

“ Pay attention!” Concept: Attention -- how we filter or select important information from the environment. “ I don’t know.” Concept: Knowledge -- the store of general information and algorithms for performing tasks. “ I don’t remember.” Concept: Memory -- a process for storing, retrieving and working with information. “ I can’t decide.” Concept: Decision making – set of higher-level processes that work together allow us function day to day

“ Pay attention!”

Concept: Attention -- how we filter or select important information from the environment.

“ I don’t know.”

Concept: Knowledge -- the store of general information and algorithms for performing tasks.

“ I don’t remember.”

Concept: Memory -- a process for storing, retrieving and working with information.

“ I can’t decide.”

Concept: Decision making – set of higher-level processes that work together allow us function day to day

History of Cognitive Psychology Early history – Philosophical roots Socrates – interested in the origins of knowledge Aristotle – interested in origins of knowledge & memory Proposed first theory of memory Descartes – how is knowledge represented mentally

Early history – Philosophical roots

Socrates – interested in the origins of knowledge

Aristotle – interested in origins of knowledge & memory

Proposed first theory of memory

Descartes – how is knowledge represented mentally

History of Recent history – Psychological roots Wilhelm Wundt (1879) First psychological laboratory in Leipzig, GE Founder of psychology as a science Many early psychologists had roots in Wundts lab Produced over 200 Ph.D students in philosophy and psychology Topic: Human cognition Used introspection to report contents of consciousness

Recent history – Psychological roots

Wilhelm Wundt (1879)

First psychological laboratory in Leipzig, GE

Founder of psychology as a science

Many early psychologists had roots in Wundts lab

Produced over 200 Ph.D students in philosophy and psychology

Topic: Human cognition

Used introspection to report contents of consciousness

History of Edward Titchner Student of Wundts, taught at Cornell University in 1892 Proponent of introspection Narrow view of psychology Excluded mental illness, education apps., and social psych, b/c not open to introspection Note: Method defined what was allowable science Founder of Structuralism Study of: Sensations, images, and feelings that were elements of the mind Often argued with Wundt over findings

Edward Titchner

Student of Wundts, taught at Cornell University in 1892

Proponent of introspection

Narrow view of psychology

Excluded mental illness, education apps., and social psych, b/c not open to introspection

Note: Method defined what was allowable science

Founder of Structuralism

Study of: Sensations, images, and feelings that were elements of the mind

Often argued with Wundt over findings

History of Herman von Ebbinghaus Contemporary of Wundt in GE Big influence on cognitive psych. Developed method for studying forgetting as function of time Stimuli: lists of Consonant-Vowel-Consonant’s (CVC’s) Method: Learn list of CVC’s, count number of trials to recall perfectly  Wait 2 days  re-learn list. Savings score = # of trials to learn the 1 st time - # of trials to learn 2 nd time One subject entire career – himself Learned over 40,000 CVC’s

Herman von Ebbinghaus

Contemporary of Wundt in GE

Big influence on cognitive psych.

Developed method for studying forgetting as function of time

Stimuli: lists of Consonant-Vowel-Consonant’s (CVC’s)

Method: Learn list of CVC’s, count number of trials to recall perfectly  Wait 2 days  re-learn list.

Savings score = # of trials to learn the 1 st time - # of trials to learn 2 nd time

One subject entire career – himself

Learned over 40,000 CVC’s

History of William James Wundt’s student, hired at Harvard Philosopher, but started first American psych. lab Proposed Functionalism Stressed the functions over the mind rather than contents How does mind adapt to new circumstances? Proposed multicomponent memory system: Primary Memory vs. Secondary memory Authored: Principles of Psychology, chapters on Sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, reasoning

William James

Wundt’s student, hired at Harvard

Philosopher, but started first American psych. lab

Proposed Functionalism

Stressed the functions over the mind rather than contents

How does mind adapt to new circumstances?

Proposed multicomponent memory system: Primary Memory vs. Secondary memory

Authored: Principles of Psychology, chapters on Sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, reasoning

History of Modern History Human Performance (WWII) Attention and perception, training of solders to use radio and radar Signal detection Blips on radar or sonar Information theory – abstract method for analyzing information processing

Modern History

Human Performance (WWII)

Attention and perception,

training of solders to use radio and radar

Signal detection

Blips on radar or sonar

Information theory –

abstract method for analyzing information processing

History of Artificial intelligence How can we make computers behave intelligently? Contributed host of concepts Idea of study machine, allowed us to study our own processes Linguistics Interested language and language development Contributed new mode of analyzing structure of language

Artificial intelligence

How can we make computers behave intelligently?

Contributed host of concepts

Idea of study machine, allowed us to study our own processes

Linguistics

Interested language and language development

Contributed new mode of analyzing structure of language

Emergence of Cognitive Psychology 1950’s – 1970’s, no agreed upon date Ulric Neisser’s “Cognitive Psychology” text published in 1967 Why did Cog. Psyc emerge? Two major factors Dissatisfaction w/ behaviorism’s account of complex behavior (e.g., Chompsky’s new model of language) Convergence of several other fields during WWII Linguistics, Human performance, AI

1950’s – 1970’s, no agreed upon date

Ulric Neisser’s “Cognitive Psychology” text published in 1967

Why did Cog. Psyc emerge?

Two major factors

Dissatisfaction w/ behaviorism’s account of complex behavior (e.g., Chompsky’s new model of language)

Convergence of several other fields during WWII

Linguistics, Human performance, AI

Contributors to Cog. Psych Human Performance Abstract way to analyze processing of info. (development of psychological tools!) Research ideas in attention and perceptions AI Idea of computer as info. Processor Computer model Tool for studying cognition Focus on complex processing (decision making, reasoning)

Human Performance

Abstract way to analyze processing of info. (development of psychological tools!)

Research ideas in attention and perceptions

AI

Idea of computer as info. Processor

Computer model

Tool for studying cognition

Focus on complex processing (decision making, reasoning)

Contributors to Cog. Psych Linguistics & Verbal learning Questions about language and its complexity Reason to reject behaviorism Complexities of lang. Not handled by behaviorism Philosophy Age old questions about knowledge and Memory Behaviorism Strong empirical methods and laboratory research

Linguistics & Verbal learning

Questions about language and its complexity

Reason to reject behaviorism

Complexities of lang. Not handled by behaviorism

Philosophy

Age old questions about knowledge and Memory

Behaviorism

Strong empirical methods and laboratory research

Summary Cog. Psych began with Wundt Cognitive issues of mental states But, introspection method not strong Replication difficult, methodology determined acceptable sub-disciplines These problems fueled behaviorist movement Behaviorism was major paradigm from 1910’s to 1960’s Focus shifted to overt behavior Stimulus  response Mind considered a black box, can’t study what you can’t see, hear, feel, or touch Psychologists need reason to abandon behaviorism Linguistic’s criticisms provided the stimulus

Cog. Psych began with Wundt

Cognitive issues of mental states

But, introspection method not strong

Replication difficult, methodology determined acceptable sub-disciplines

These problems fueled behaviorist movement

Behaviorism was major paradigm from 1910’s to 1960’s

Focus shifted to overt behavior

Stimulus  response

Mind considered a black box, can’t study what you can’t see, hear, feel, or touch

Psychologists need reason to abandon behaviorism

Linguistic’s criticisms provided the stimulus

Summary War time efforts - scientists from different fields came together for one purpose Focus on attention and perception Expansion of methodological toolboxes Enabled Psychologist to go beyond S-R psych. Idea of humans as “Active” info. Processors Contrast with behaviorism – Organisms respond to environment Invention of computer & focus on mental processes Chompsky’s review of Skinner’s book on language Illuminated inadequacies of behaviorism

War time efforts - scientists from different fields came together for one purpose

Focus on attention and perception

Expansion of methodological toolboxes

Enabled Psychologist to go beyond S-R psych.

Idea of humans as “Active” info. Processors

Contrast with behaviorism – Organisms respond to environment

Invention of computer & focus on mental processes

Chompsky’s review of Skinner’s book on language

Illuminated inadequacies of behaviorism

Cognitive Psychology Information processing approach – decomposition of mental processes Multi-component memory system Assumptions of Cog. Psych. Mental processes exist People are active information processors Mental processes and structures can be revealed by time and accuracy measures

Information processing approach – decomposition of mental processes

Multi-component memory system

Assumptions of Cog. Psych.

Mental processes exist

People are active information processors

Mental processes and structures can be revealed by time and accuracy measures

Environmental Stimuli Sensory Memory Short-term / Working Memory Long-term Memory & Knowledge Cognitive Psychology is concerned with what goes on in here. Overt Response Behavior Info. Processing model

Component of Model Sensory memory – input device What info is sent to the processor Short-term / Working memory Central processor, actively processes info Long-term memory / Knowledge Library of programs, algorithms, data, and experiences that are stored for use † Note similarities to computer!

Sensory memory – input device

What info is sent to the processor

Short-term / Working memory

Central processor, actively processes info

Long-term memory / Knowledge

Library of programs, algorithms, data, and experiences that are stored for use

† Note similarities to computer!

Sternberg Paradigm Test of how info is processed Subjects (Ss) memorize list of digits {4, 6, 5, 9, 3, 2} Given recognition test 9? Yes/No Measure both accuracy and reaction time (Msec.) Some trials were false (8?) Some were true (9?)

Test of how info is processed

Subjects (Ss) memorize list of digits

{4, 6, 5, 9, 3, 2}

Given recognition test

9?

Yes/No

Measure both accuracy and reaction time (Msec.)

Some trials were false (8?)

Some were true (9?)

Think in terms of Memory system! 9 6 5 9 3 2 4 LTM STM / WM - - + - - - Decision

Results

Perceive Stimulus Generate response Make decision 9=9? 9=3? 9=6? 9=2? Perceive Stimulus Generate response Make decision 7=9? 7=3? 7=6? 7=2? 6, 9, 3, 2 9? 7? What would happen if the search string were 6 items? What would happen if degraded the probe? What would happen if we biased the decision process?

Time to respond was linear function of size of search string Each element added 38 msec to search time Serial position did not matter! Thus, search is exhaustive Sternberg’s conclusion: Ss engaged in serial matching process

Time to respond was linear function of size of search string

Each element added 38 msec to search time

Serial position did not matter!

Thus, search is exhaustive

Sternberg’s conclusion: Ss engaged in serial matching process