OutlineOutline The Science of the MindThe Science of the Mind

IntrospectionismIntrospectionism BehaviorismBehaviorism Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology

Models of the Mind Models of the Mind – Black boxBlack box– JukeboxJukebox– The mind boxThe mind box

Sternberg taskSternberg task

IntrospectionismIntrospectionism Method: Method:

– ask your subjects ask your subjects

Strength:Strength:– First-Person Privileged AccessFirst-Person Privileged Access

Shortcomings:Shortcomings:– It provides access to It provides access to productsproducts of thinking, rather than of thinking, rather than

the the processesprocesses that underlie it. that underlie it.– It relies on It relies on conscious reportconscious report: Many interesting mental : Many interesting mental

events are unconscious (e.g. memory retrieval, or visual events are unconscious (e.g. memory retrieval, or visual processes that lead to perceptual processes that lead to perceptual illusionsillusions).).

Edward Titchener

(1867-1927)

Behaviorism

Stimulus

Response

Method: Method: – Study stimulus-response relations Study stimulus-response relations

Example of Behaviorism: Classical Example of Behaviorism: Classical ConditioningConditioning1. sight of food 1. sight of food salivation salivation 2. bell & food together 2. bell & food together salivation salivation 3. bell alone3. bell alone salivation salivation

STIMULUSSTIMULUS RESPONSE RESPONSE

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

Behaviorism Behaviorism 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).

BehaviorismBehaviorismStrengths: Strengths:

– rigorous scientific observation rigorous scientific observation – controlled laboratory settings controlled laboratory settings – Applicable to certain areas (e.g., learning: Applicable to certain areas (e.g., learning:

pairing of stimuli and responses)pairing of stimuli and responses)

BehaviorismBehaviorism

Shortcomings:Shortcomings:Limiting science to observable things is a Limiting science to observable things is a bad idea. Theories bad idea. Theories areare about unobservables about unobservables

Can’t account for much of human behavior.Can’t account for much of human behavior.

Behaviorism Behaviorism Cannot explain: Cannot explain:

– Language Language – AttentionAttention– Spatial learning & Cognitive Maps Spatial learning & Cognitive Maps

Behaviorism Behaviorism Cannot explain: Cannot explain:

– Language (Chomsky, 1959)Language (Chomsky, 1959) Novel words, over-generalizations, no Novel words, over-generalizations, no

feedbackfeedback– ‘‘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

Noam Chomsky

Behaviorism Behaviorism Cannot explain: Cannot explain:

– AttentionAttention Change blindnessChange blindness

– Two different stimulus -> same perceptionTwo different stimulus -> same perception– Same stimulus -> different perceptionSame stimulus -> different perception

Behaviorism Behaviorism Cannot explain: Cannot explain:

– Spatial learning & Cognitive Maps Spatial learning & Cognitive Maps

Edward C. Tolman (1886-1959)

What do Tolman’s Maps look like?

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

BehaviorismStimulus

Response

Study stimulus-response relations, but do NOT attempt to understand unobservable mental processes

BehaviorismStimulus

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...