What is cognitive science

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What is cognitive science?

• An interdisciplinary science of mind, brain and
  behavior.
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Computer science
• Neurobiology
• Linguistics

Comp.science
Philosophy
Psychology
CS
Neurobiology
Linguistics
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2. Computations

• a rule-governed process which manipulates
  representations
• Alan Turing, 1950
• Goal of cognitive science understanding
  intelligence
• A model of intelligence will enable us to create
  intelligence

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If you became interested

• The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences
• P. Thagard Mind Introduction to Cognitive
  Science
• Hofstadter Godel, Escher, Bach
• Pinker How the mind works
• Psych L271 Introduction to Cognitive Science
  (elective)
• SOON Minor in Cog Sci

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Sources of data

• Behavioral
• Naturalistic observations
• Interviews
• In laboratory experiments
• Physiological
• Event Related Potential (ERP)
• Brain imaging e. g. functional MRI
• Heart-rate measurement

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Experimental design

• Variables
• Independent what we change systematically
• Dependent what we measure

Subjects are randomly assigned to exp. or control
groups
Experimental group sees unexpected outcome
Control group sees expected outcome
independent variable E/U
dependent variable looking time
Looking times are measured
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Looking time studies with infants

• Video recording
• Parents eyes closed
• Observer measures looking times
• Times are re-scored later on by a second observer

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An example for the violation-of-expectation method
Expected (Control) condition Unexpected
(Experimental) condition
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Analysis

• Results are then analyzed statistically
• Is the difference significant? If yes, then we
  have positive results

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Tests with older children

• Structured conversation, Lets play a game

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Physiological measures

• Event Related Potential
• Brain imaging e.g. fMRI
• Heart-rate measurements

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Event Related Potential (ERP)
Measurement of brain activity in 128 locations
simultaneously
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Results of an ERP study
Kaufman et al, 2003
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fMRI

• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• (only for children over 6-7 yrs of age)

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Heart-rate measurement