Cognitive Modeling

We present the input to the discussion about the computational framework known as Common Model of Cognition (CMC) from the working group dealing with the knowledge/rational/social levels. In particular, we present a list of the higher level constraints that should be addressed within such a general framework.

Designing human machine interfaces that respect the ergonomic norms and following rigorous approaches constitutes a major concern for computer systems designers. The increased need on easily accessible and usable interfaces leads researchers in this domain to create methods and models that make it possible to evaluate these interfaces in terms of utility and usability. Two different approaches are currently used

The paper introduces an extension of the proposal according to which conceptual representations in cognitive agents should be intended as heterogeneous proxytypes. The main contribution of this paper is in that it details how to reconcile, under a heterogeneous representational perspective, different theories of typicality about conceptual representation and reasoning. In particular, it provides a novel theoretical hypothesis-as well as a novel categorization algorithm called DELTA-showing how to integrate the representational and reasoning assumptions of the theory-theory of concepts with the those ascribed to the prototype and exemplars-based theories.

The aim of this paper is to define and to present a mathematical space that can be used for the mathematical representation of natural languages. The “brain space”, which have been proposed in this paper, is based on Minkowski’s space and was chosen as the space to model this proposal, rising from the evidence that the neurocongnitive processes of perception and categorization occur in a hyperspace of 3 dimensions + time. It can be shown that the proposed hyperspace is in accordance with the intrinsic characteristics of the brain’s functioning, i,e. those established under the latest advances in neurolinguistics.

When people are choosing among different options, context seems to play a vital role. For instance, adding a third option can increase the probability of choosing a similar dominating option. This attraction effect is one of the most widely studied phenomena in decision-making research. Its prevalence, however, has been challenged recently by the tainting hypothesis, according to which the inferior option contaminates the attribute space in which it is located, leading to a repulsion effect. In an attempt to test the tainting hypothesis and explore the conditions under which dominated options make dominating options look bad, we conducted four preregistered perceptual decision-making studies with a total of 301 participants. We identified two factors influencing individuals’ behavior: stimulus display and
stimulus design. Our results contribute to a growing body of literature showing how presentation format influences behavior in preferential and perceptual decision-making tasks.

What is meaning-making? How do new domains of meanings emerge in the course of child’s development? What is the role of consciousness in this process? What is the difference between making sense of pointing, pantomime and language utterances? Are great apes capable of meaning-making? What about dogs? Parrots? Can we – in any way – relate their functioning and behavior to a child’s? Are artificial systems capable of meaning-making?
The above questions motivated the emergence of cognitive semiotics as a discipline devoted to theoretical and empirical studies on meaning-making processes. As a transdisciplinary approach to meaning and meaning-making, cognitive semiotics necessarily draws on different disciplines: starting with philosophy of mind, via semiotics and linguistics, cognitive science(s), neuroanthropology, developmental and evolutionary psychology, comparative studies, and ending with robotics.
The book presents extensively this discipline. It is a very eclectic story: highly abstract problems of philosophy of mind are discussed and, simultaneously, results of very specific experiments on picture recognition are presented. On the one hand, intentional acts involved in semiotic activity are elaborated; on the other, a computational system capable of a limited interpretation of excerpts from Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass is described. Specifically, the two roads to cognitive semiotics are explored in the book: phenomenological-enactive path developed by the so-called Lund school and author’s own proposal: a functional-cognitivist path.

Ding et al. (2017) contrast their view that language processing is based on hierarchical syntactic structures, to a view that relies on word-level input statistics. In this response to their paper, we clarify how, exactly, the two views differ (and how they do not), and make a case for the importance of sequential, as opposed to hierarchical, structure for language processing.

The aim of the paper is to sketch an idea—seen from the point of view of a cognitive scientist—of cognitive semiotics as a discipline. Consequently, the article presents aspects of the relationship between the two disciplines: semi- otics and cognitive science. The main assumption of the argumentation is that at least some semiotic processes are also cognitive processes. At the methodo- logical level, this claim allows for application of cognitive models as explana- tions of selected semiotic processes. In particular, the processes of embedded interpretation (in contrast to interpretability in principle) are considered: belief revision, dynamic organization of meaning and metaknowledge. The explanations are formulated in terms of artificial cognitive agents of the GLAIR/SNePS cognitive architecture. Finally, it is suggested that even if some- one rejects the idea of artificial cognitive systems as simulations of semiotic processes, they may acknowledge the usefulness of cognitive modeling in analysis of semiotic processes in virtual, simulated worlds and in the area of “new media”.

S U M M A RY : The paper discusses possible roles of consciousness in a semiotic (meaning-making) activity of a cognitive agent. The discussion, we claim, is based on two related approaches to consciousness: on Chalmers' theory of phenomenal and psychological consciousness and on Damasio's neural theory , which draws a distinction between core and extended consciousness. Two stages of cognitive-semiotic processing are discussed: the moment of perception of a sign as a meaningful entity and the metasemiotic processes understood as the human capacity to reflect on signs and their usage, analyse and control processes of recognition, interpretation of signs and to detect and correct errors in semiotic activity. In the case of the first stage, it is argued that signs as meaningful entities have a distincly experiential character. The feeling of meaningfulness is a result of phenomenal consciousness, in particular a result of the so-called valuation features of phenomenal experience. I claim that this aspect of cogni-tive-semiotic activity is possible owing to a special neural mechanism called a semiotic marker. It is argued that semiotic systems have to be able to use signs as signs, i.e. they should display some metacognitive capacities, in particular an ability to analyse semiosis at a metalevel. It is argued that such metasemiosis is dependent on psychological consciousness (in Chalmers' terms: awareness) and is realized at the neural level in the form of extended consciousness. The paper is based on a particular understanding of cognitive semiotics as a discipline involving analyses of cognitive processes as semiotic processes, i.e. processes requiring usage of signs.

Öz Bu çalışmada tüketici satın alma ve karar süreci tüketici davranışlarının bilişsel temelli özellikleri, tüketici davranışlarını etkileyen faktörler, global sınıflar teorisi, referans gruplar, gruplarda uyum süreci, bilgisel sosyal etki, güdülenme, öğrenme, bilişsel süreçler, müşteri davranışı konuları birlikte incelenerek açıklanmıştır. Tüketim kararına etki eden faktörlerden bilişsel uyumsuzluğa neden olabilecek akıl çeldirici uyarı, dışavurum, algısal yapı konularına ağırlık verilmiş, tüketici satın alma karar süreci bilişsel temelde açıklanmıştır. Çalışmanın sonuç kısmında tüketici satın alma karar sürecine yönelik gelecek çalışmalar için önerilerde bulunulmuştur. Sonuç olarak, tüketim kararının verilmesinde dış etkenlerle birlikte bilişsel sürecin araştırılmasının ve bilinmesinin faydalı olacağı, bilişsel süreçte ortaya çıkabilecek uyumsuzlukların tespitinin satın almanın nedenlerini anlamayı sağlayacağı ortaya konulmuştur. Abstract In this study, consumer purchasing and decision process are explained by examining cognitive based characteristics of consumer behaviors, factors affecting consumer behaviors, global class theory, reference groups, conformity process in groups, informational social influence, motivation, learning, cognitive processes, customer behavior. Confusable stimulus, expression, cognitive structure issues that factors affecting consumer decision are emphasized on the perceptual structure which may lead to cognitive dissonance, purchase decision process is explained on the cognitive basis. In the conclusion part of the study, suggestions were made for future studies on consumer purchase decision process. As a result, it has been revealed that in the decision making of consumption, to investigate and learn the cognitive process with external factors will be useful, it has been revealed that the detection of inconformity that may arise in the cognitive process will lead to the understanding of the reasons for the purchase.

Passenger flows are continuously increasing in Europe and the number of border guards does not increase as quickly as it needs. The use of automatic systems such as e-gates and kiosks is envisaged to enhance security and to facilitate the border crossing. Border control activity should be thoroughly studied in order to understand in which ways it would be impacted by the introduction of more technological systems. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current border guards’ activities from a human factor point of view and to provide recommendations and requirements regarding the introduction of the future regulation and the use of automatic systems. The paper introduces the methodology used to investigate human factors at four types of borders based on a systemic human factors approach, organizational factors, technical tools and environmental aspects.

The basis of this diploma thesis is to describe business process modelling and its current use in IT companies. The subject is to determine if respondents use process modelling in their companies or if they find it unsuitable. In the theoretical part, modelling in the context of information science, new media, and some models of communication are briefly presented. An important part of the theory is focused on the chapter of cognitive modelling, as a basic approach for creating process models. It follows an introduction of process modelling and a current market overview in this industry. The practical part maps the use of modelling in companies. Methodology is presented as first followed by data analysis. The research uses questionnaire survey for data collection, for qualitative data processing applies the grounded theory. Finally, the thesis evaluates the current state of modelling on the Czech market and defines the strengths and weaknesses of the process modelling.

A review of making purchase decisions through inter-net was retrospectively reviewed (ex-post-fact) with a sample of 340 people who had (n=187) and who had not purchased online (n=153). The questionnaire that was used includes statement for each of the stages involved in the choice (problem identification, information search, alternatives evaluation, and purchase behavior). Some scales were designed while some others were adapted from the available research literature. Results shows that, through internet, it is more common to perform unplanned purchase, and the information available on the network usually has a significant value in online decision-making. Online purchasers and not purchasers differ on risk perception. Some recommendations to design web pages for commercial use are suggested, and discussion about the evolution of online shopping in Colombia is presented. Resumen La toma de decisiones de compra en línea (internet) fue revisada retrospectivamente (ex-post facto) con una muestra de 340 personas que habían (n = 187) y no habían comprado por este medio (n = 153). El cues-tionario usado incluyó afirmaciones para cada una de las etapas involucradas en la elección (identificación del problema, búsqueda de información, evaluación de alternativas y conducta de compra). Algunas escalas se diseñaron y otras se adaptaron de las que se encuentran disponibles en la literatura científica. Los resultados sugieren que, por internet, es más común la compra no planeada y que la información disponible en la red suele tener un valor importante en la toma de decisiones. Se presentan diferencias en la percepción del riesgo de compradores y no compradores. Se sugieren algunas recomendaciones para el diseño de páginas web de uso comercial y se discute sobre la evolución de las compras por internet en Colombia.

The Remote Associates Test is a well established measure, frequently used to assess individuals’ creative abilities, as a function of the ability to elicit remote associates. The nature of the involved associative processes is still poorly understood. This hampers a deeper understanding of the creative process, rendering it difficult to determine what factors are controlled for, when the RAT is employed. We report an experiment that sheds further light on the nature of the associative process by manipulating (a) the frequency with which a pair of items are associated as associative strength, and (b) the probability of reaching the answer given the strength and the spread. Experimental results indicate a clear and surprisingly separate influence of frequency and probability on accuracy and response times. Frequency and probability both are thus factors that need to be included in the modelling process and controlled for when using the RAT to assess creativity.

Within the general objective of conceiving a cognitive architecture for image interpretation able to generate outputs relevant to several target user profiles, the paper elaborates on a set of operations that should be provided by a cognitive space to guarantee the generation of relevant descriptions. First, it attempts to define a working definition of contrast operation. Then, revisiting well-known results in cognitive studies, it sketches a definition of similarity based on contrast, distinguished from the metric defined on the conceptual space.