Man and Machine

Volledige vakbeschrijving

Psychological hypotheses are increasingly being specified in the form of computational models. Precision, transparency and the heuristic value of these models on the one hand, and the availability of sufficient computing capability on the other explain their popularity. Cognitive psychological theories have increasingly come to depend on symbolic architectures for problem-solving, reasoning and knowledge acquisition and/or on connectionist models of aspects of human learning, categorisation, perception, memory and attention. In biological psychology, theories are developed and assessed using models of the behaviour of networks of neurons. In this course, several influential architectures and algorithms will be discussed, in conjunction with various biopsychological phenomena that shaped them. The course will start with a reflection on the nature of cognitive science and historic contributions from Turing and Marr. We will also pay attention to developments in artificial intelligence and the resulting changes in the division of duties between man and machine, examined in cognitive ergonomics and socio-technical systems. Next, students will study creativity and search models. The question "Can computers be creative?" is, of course, also an invitation for students to consider human creativity. Learning will be key in two assignments relating to connectionist models. Additionally, students will look at ACT-R, one of the most influential cognitive architectures in which classical, symbolic and connectionist principles have been integrated. Research into higher cognitive skills based on ACT-R models has, for example, led to practical educational innovations. During the last part of the course, several subjects that have posed problems for classical cognitive science will be discussed. The role of emotions is discussed in an assignment relating to the theme of social robotics. Time, a factor that is often neglected, is considered in an assignment dedicated to the application of the dynamic system theory in psychological research (e.g. motor development and attitude polarisation). A third point of criticism in relation to cognitive science is the lack of attention for the physical and social environment of the subject. This is a key point in assignments on distributed cognition, man-machine interaction, team cognition, autonomous agents, and ethical questions raised in the context of the development of new technologies, and the way in which people would virtually need to cope with it by means of brain-machine interfaces or stimulated by other means to enhance cognition. Virtual cooperation within teams will also be examined by means of a group assignment.