Cognitive Science Research Articles

Things to Keep in Mind When Thinking about Artificial Intelligence

The article discusses the reasons for the similarity of public opinion about artificial intelligence in different countries. At the same time, this opinion differs from the judgments expressed by experts on this topic. These similarities and differences are explained by the conformity between folk theories that stem from individuals due to their limited experience of interacting with artificial intelligence. Risk assessments given by experts do not fully take into account the results and findings of cognitive science that are directly related to artificial intelligence. A number of results obtained in the cognitive sciences are presented. The author highlights some of them that are useful to consider when assessing artificial intelligence.

Exploring the Convergence of Visual Computing Across Machine Learning, Entertainment, Design, Medicine, Education and Beyond

Visual computing is an interdisciplinary field combining computer science, mathematics, physics, and cognitive sciences to develop, analyze, and produce visual information. It aims to enhance activity organization and interaction through visual elements, including images, videos, flowcharts, and icons. This field addresses tangible components, like touchscreens and interactive whiteboards, and intangible components, such as data patterns and algorithms, visually represented for better comprehension and decision-making. Key aspects of visual computing include the visual computer environment, which facilitates interaction through images and text, and visual applications that manage extensive image data, including videos and 3D scenes. Beyond its association with videos and 3D design, visual computing influences computer graphics and data visualization. Modern software's ability to generate detailed images and process visual data has driven advancements in computer vision and scientific analysis, linking visual computing with disciplines like machine learning, human-computer interaction, and data science.

Analyzing the Non-compositionality of Conceptual Combinations

Objectives: This research is first of its kind to investigate the application of quantum mechanics and related mathematical models to cognitive science, specifically focusing on the challenge of modeling how the human mind assigns meaning to combinations of words. The primary objective is to classify whether given word combinations are compositional or non-compositional. Methods: The author introduces the "WWW method," which leverages the World Wide Web (WWW) as an experimental tool in place of human subjects, which makes this method cheaper and handy in comparison to the earlier methods which used human subjects for spoken and sign language studies and robots as non-human subjects. The "WWW method" involves checking the adherence to Bell inequalities and marginal selectivity. The term "meaning bound" is introduced to quantify the extent to which two words influence each other's meaning within a combination. This concept proves instrumental in devising a method for assessing compositionality using the WWW method. Findings: When the WWW serves as the information space, the verification of whether a word combination adheres to Bell inequalities entails determining if the meaning bound for the word combination (AB & C) exceeds that of its constituent parts (A & C, B & C) within the conceptual combination AB. Marginal selectivity is evaluated by establishing a vector model for grammatically framed word combinations, utilizing the WWW to collect data. If the word combination 'A then B' yields an equivalent number of hits as 'B then A,' it signifies that the word combination AB satisfies marginal selectivity. Novelty: Consequently, this research presents an accessible approach to identifying entangled pairs of word combinations using the WWW method, eliminating the need for human subject experiments. The earlier studies which include human subjects are costly and cannot be replicated anytime-anywhere, for obvious reasons. Keywords: Quantum cognition, Marginal selectivity, Compositionality, WWW method, CHSH inequality

The Influence of Using Canva Media on Science Learning Outcomes in Class V of SDN 3 Rempek in the 2023/2024 Academic Year

This research aims to determine the effect of Canva media on science and science cognitive learning outcomes in food chain material in class V at SDN 3 Rempek. This research was carried out at SDN 3 Rempek on class V students of SDN 3 Rempek for the 2023/2024 academic year with a population of 14 students. Sampling was carried out using a saturated sampling technique. The total sample of 14 students was used as one experimental class. This research is pre-experimental research with a One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Data collection techniques are observation, interviews, documentation and learning outcomes tests. Data collected through science and science cognitive learning results were tested for normality, homogeneity and hypothesis testing, t-test (paired sample T-test). The results of this research are: there is an influence of Canva media on cognitive science learning outcomes in food chain material in class V SDN 3 Rempek based on the results of data analysis, the average pretest score is 64.28 from 14 students with a KKM of 70, that is, there are 9 who got a score of 45-65. students can be categorized as low while scores of 70-85 are 5 students who can be categorized as high scores. Based on the posttest results after applying Canva media, the average is 75.35. From the score of 60-65 consisting of 3 students, it can be said to be a low score, while the score of 70-90 consists of 11 students, it is said to be the highest score. The difference between the pretest and posttest scores is 11. 07 then the posttest score is higher than the pretest. The results of hypothesis testing with the T-test (Paired Sample t-Test) have a 2-tailed sig value of 0.000<0.05, so it can be stated that there is a real difference between the science and science cognitive learning results for food chain material in the pretest value and the posttest value. The results of calculating the T-table using T-count are -4.954>1.782 with a significance level of 0.05. It can be stated that Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. The application of the Canva media has an influence on the science learning outcomes of food chain material. So, the application of Canva media can have a significant influence on the cognitive learning outcomes of science and science on food chain material in class V SDN 3 Rempek so that Canva media provides interest, interest, motivation, learning outcomes, focus, concentration and understanding of the concept of the material.

An Analysis of the Evolving Role of the RD within the Profession of Nutrition and Dietetics using Mind Genomics Cognitive Science

An Analysis of the Evolving Role of the RD within the Profession of Nutrition and Dietetics using Mind Genomics Cognitive Science

On second thoughts: Testing the underlying mechanisms of spontaneous future thought

The human capacity to imagine possible future events unintentionally, with minimal cognitive effort, is termed spontaneous future thought (SFT). This paper addresses an important theoretical question for cognitive science: What are the possible cognitive mechanisms underlying such SFT experiences? We contrasted three hypotheses present in the literature: the online construction hypothesis, the recasting hypothesis, and the memories of future thoughts hypothesis. Study 1 (N = 41) used novel subjective ratings which challenged the recasting mechanism: SFTs were mostly rated as dissimilar to autobiographical memories, suggesting they are not simply past experiences ‘recast’ as future events. Study 2 (N = 90) used a novel experimental paradigm, comparing effects of voluntary episodic future constructions and non-personal narratives upon subsequent spontaneous thought sampling. Results suggested that voluntary future constructions remain accessible to spontaneous retrieval, supporting the memories of future thoughts hypothesis. This finding, and other data presented across the two studies, still indicates a role for online construction processes in SFT, but further empirical work is needed to clarify how and when constructive processes are engaged in SFT. Taken together, these two studies represent initial efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SFT, providing the first proof-of-principle that deliberately envisioned future events can reappear, without intention, in consciousness at some later time, and further supporting the dual process account of future thinking. These methods and findings provide a firm basis for subsequent experimental and longitudinal research on SFT.

Situating Cognitive Science after 1945

AbstractThe paper attempts to place the emergence of cognitive science (CS) as an interdisciplinary research program in historical context. A broad overview of the institutional and intellectual situations during the early postwar period is presented, focusing primarily on psychology and artificial intelligence (AI). From an institutional perspective, the paper shows that although computers and computer science were closely linked with weapons research during World War II, the postwar creation of cognitive science had no military connection, but was largely enabled by small grants from private foundations, though the RAND Corporation was involved to a limited extent. From an epistemic perspective, the paper shows: (1) that neobehaviourist learning theory was not replaced by, but flourished parallel to cognition-oriented psychology in the 1950s, because they were located in different sub-disciplines; (2) that the key theoretical inputs into CS were developed separately at first, and each group remained affiliated with the discipline or complex of disciplines from which it came. A certain tension remained at the core of the project between the machine dreams of the emerging AI community and the idea of autonomous mental processes central to cognitive psychology.

Representations and generalization in artificial and brain neural networks

Humans and animals excel at generalizing from limited data, a capability yet to be fully replicated in artificial intelligence. This perspective investigates generalization in biological and artificial deep neural networks (DNNs), in both in-distribution and out-of-distribution contexts. We introduce two hypotheses: First, the geometric properties of the neural manifolds associated with discrete cognitive entities, such as objects, words, and concepts, are powerful order parameters. They link the neural substrate to the generalization capabilities and provide a unified methodology bridging gaps between neuroscience, machine learning, and cognitive science. We overview recent progress in studying the geometry of neural manifolds, particularly in visual object recognition, and discuss theories connecting manifold dimension and radius to generalization capacity. Second, we suggest that the theory of learning in wide DNNs, especially in the thermodynamic limit, provides mechanistic insights into the learning processes generating desired neural representational geometries and generalization. This includes the role of weight norm regularization, network architecture, and hyper-parameters. We will explore recent advances in this theory and ongoing challenges. We also discuss the dynamics of learning and its relevance to the issue of representational drift in the brain.

Parallel Interactions Between Linguistic and Contextual Factors in Bilinguals

AbstractThe necessity for introducing interactionist and parallelism approaches in different branches of cognitive science emerged as a reaction to classical sequential stage‐based models. Functional psychological models that emphasized and explained how different components interact, dynamically producing cognitive and perceptual states, influenced multiple disciplines. Chiefly among them were experimental psycholinguistics and the many applied areas that dealt with humans’ ability to process different types of information in different contexts. Understanding how bilinguals represent and process verbal and visual input, how their neural and psychological states facilitate such interactions, and how linguistic and nonlinguistic processing overlap, has now emerged as an important area of multidisciplinary research. In this article, we will review available evidence from different language‐speaking groups of bilinguals in India with a focus on situational context. In the discussion, we will address models of language processing in bilinguals within a cognitive psychological approach with a focus on existent models of inhibitory control. The paper's stated goal will be to show that the parallel architecture framework can serve as a theoretical foundation for examining bilingual language processing and its interface with external factors such as social context.

How computation explains

Cognitive science gives computational explanations of the brain. Philosophers have treated these explanations as if they simply claim that the brain computes. We have therefore assumed that to understand how and why computational explanation works, we must understand what it is to compute. In contrast, I argue that we can understand computational explanation by describing the resources it brings to bear on the study of the brain. Specifically, I argue that it introduces concepts and formalisms that complement cognitive science's modeling goals. This allows us to understand computational explanation without having to debate what it is to compute.

Correlations between representation theory andintentionality theory

The Theories of Representation and Intentionality have emerged from various fields of knowledge, including Psychology, Philosophy, and Cognitive Sciences. Within the realm of Information Science, the concept of Information Representation has gained widespread acceptance, while studies on Intentionality Theory remain relatively limited. In light of the post-custodial paradigm, informational subjects are recognized as active participants in the socio-informational landscape, employing their intentionality to produce, organize, represent, and seek information across diverse digital information environments. This research endeavors to identify the correlations between Representation and Intentionality Theories within the context of Information Science, examining their contributions to Information Findability. Information Findability encompasses a theoretical-practical approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating information environments. This study adopts a bibliographical and exploratory approach, employing qualitative methods and utilizing databases such as the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) Periodicals Portal, the Information Science Database (BRAPCI), and Google Scholar. The research findings reveal correlations between Representation and Intentionality Theories, highlighting the significance of these theoretical underpinnings in enhancing Information Findability. In conclusion, the study underscores the need for further exploration of Intentionality in Information Science, given the scarcity of research in this area and its relevance in incorporating the informational subject's perspective into the concept of Information Findability.

Event Causality Identification via Competitive-Cooperative Cognition Networks

Identifying the causal relations between events is an important task in natural language processing (NLP). However, existing methods mainly leverage human empirical information about causality from limited labeled corpus or pseudo-data, which leads to an insufficient understanding of the causal mechanism. Inspired by the dual process theory (DPT) in cognitive science, we propose Competitive-Cooperative Cognition Networks (C3Net), including an intuitive causal reasoner, a logical causal reasoner, and a competitive selection mechanism, which directly learn and imitate the framework of the causal identification process in human brains. On the one hand, our model can inject external causal knowledge into the intuitive causal reasoner to improve the performance of intuitive reasoning. On the other hand, it can make explicit logical reasoning in a three-stage paradigm, mimicking human reasoning behavior: association→review→inference. Furthermore, we devise a novel competitive selection mechanism based on private evidence and historical patterns of each reasoner to determine which reasoner’s inference is more reliable. Experiments demonstrate that our approach can achieve better performance than previous baseline methods.

Analysis of the Impact of Digital Communication Tools on Organizational Culture and Communication Effectiveness within Enterprises

The issue of improving the organizational culture of enterprises is becoming increasingly relevant in light of the need to enhance the effectiveness of human resources policy and employees’ motivation. Being aware of the importance of developing organizational culture and the effectiveness of internal communication, managers of enterprises very rarely have an information basis for a model of their effective construction. The study aims to analyze the current role of digital transformation tools within the communication process to optimize organizational culture and increase communication effectiveness. The research was conducted using the general methods of scientific cognition, in particular, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, abstraction, specification, and formalization. The study identified the potential of digital communication tools for the cultural and communication optimization of companies. The authors have analyzed the factors of insufficiently effective development of organizational culture. The article substantiates the need for the synergy of process, system-behavioral, adaptive-situational, psychodynamic, and competence approaches. The authors have proposed ways of digital transformation of organizational and communication culture. Based on this, the main vectors for optimizing the concept of organizational management of the transformation of the communication sphere of companies have been identified. It has been proved that the conceptual model of an effective organizational culture is based on long-term measures to implement the strategic goals of enterprise development through continuous self-development and continuous improvement of communication skills using modern and innovative digital tools.

The Dialectical Relationship of the Arbitrariness and Iconicity of Linguistic Semiotics

The enduring debate surrounding the arbitrariness and iconicity of linguistic signs centers on the relationship between form and meaning, or signifier and signified. This study aims to clarify the dialectical relationship between these two foundational principles in linguistics. Historically, arbitrariness, as proposed by Ferdinand de Saussure, posits that the connection between a linguistic sign's form and its meaning is conventional and lacks inherent justification. Conversely, iconicity suggests a natural or motivated connection between form and meaning, a view supported by cognitive and functional linguistics. This paper critically reviews the historical and contemporary arguments from both camps, highlighting significant contributions from scholars such as Saussure, Peirce, and Haiman. Through a comprehensive analysis, it is demonstrated that arbitrariness and iconicity are not mutually exclusive but coexist at different levels within language systems. The paper argues for a nuanced understanding that considers both synchronic and diachronic perspectives, ultimately suggesting that these two principles can complement each other, providing a deeper insight into the nature and function of linguistic signs. This study contributes to the broader discussion on the inherent characteristics of language, with implications for linguistic theory, language teaching, translation, and cognitive science.

LEGACY OF A LUMINARY: CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF PROFESSOR STAVROS J. BALOYANNIS IN THE REALM OF NEUROSCIENCE

This paper pays homage to Professor Stavros J. Baloyannis, a towering figure in the field of neuroscience, whose contributions have profoundly influenced our understanding of neuromorphology and neurodegenerative diseases. Renowned for his groundbreaking work on dendritic spines, mitochondrial pathology, and the application of electron microscopy in neuroanatomy, Professor Baloyannis's research has been pivotal in elucidating the pathophysiology of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Beyond his scientific achievements, he was a dedicated educator and mentor, nurturing a generation of neuroscientists with his passion for discovery and rigorous scientific approach. His humanistic qualities, interdisciplinary focus, and collaborative spirit further distinguished his career. This tribute encapsulates the essence of Professor Baloyannis's life's work, reflecting on his enduring legacy in neuroscience, his inspirational role in shaping future scientific minds, and the ongoing relevance of his research in contemporary neuroscience. As the field continues to evolve, his contributions remain a cornerstone, guiding and inspiring ongoing and future research endeavors.

Mediapolitical Discourse: Concepts and Framework

Introduction. The article presents the results of the review of scientific works on discourse theory, reflecting the stages of evolution of media-political discourse in Russian linguistics. The aim of the article is to summarize, systematize and analyze approaches to the study of media-political discourse and concepts of its comprehension. Such concepts as media discourse, media text, media linguistics, and political discourse are considered.Methodology and sources. The article is prepared in the context of the cognitive-discursive paradigm, functional approach to discourse analysis, and media linguistics. In accordance with the postulates of critical discourse analysis, media-political discourse is considered as a constitutive of social practice. The main research method is an analytical scientific review of works on discourse theory.Results and discussion. In the course of the review of works on media and political discourse the main approaches to the understanding and research of media-political discourse are highlighted. The boundaries of this type of discourse as one of the areas of modern discourse theory are outlined. The concepts of scientific cognition that conditioned the formation of media-political discourse are identified. A review of works on related types of discourse at the previous stages of scientific thought is given. Internet discourse is viewed as an alternative source of political information. The article emphasizes the elements of language of enmity and the binary opposition “us/them” in the media-political discourse.Conclusion. The paper reveals a tendency to merge media discourse and political discourse within the framework of media-political discourse in modern linguistics. Among the key approaches to the study of media-political discourse the following approaches are identified: cratological, structural-communicative and media-technological ones; when analyzing the blogosphere it is advisable to refer to critical discourse analysis, structuralfunctional and comparative approaches. The most promising areas of the research include the identification of the essential characteristics of media-political discourse, and the development of genre stratification of this type of discourse.

The primacy of experience in language processing: Semantic priming is driven primarily by experiential similarity

The organization of semantic memory, including memory for word meanings, has long been a central question in cognitive science. Although there is general agreement that word meaning representations must make contact with sensory-motor and affective experiences in a non-arbitrary fashion, the nature of this relationship remains controversial. One prominent view proposes that word meanings are represented directly in terms of their experiential content (i.e., sensory-motor and affective representations). Opponents of this view argue that the representation of word meanings reflects primarily taxonomic structure, that is, their relationships to natural categories. In addition, the recent success of language models based on word co-occurrence (i.e., distributional) information in emulating human linguistic behavior has led to proposals that this kind of information may play an important role in the representation of lexical concepts. We used a semantic priming paradigm designed for representational similarity analysis (RSA) to quantitatively assess how well each of these theories explains the representational similarity pattern for a large set of words. Crucially, we used partial correlation RSA to account for intercorrelations between model predictions, which allowed us to assess, for the first time, the unique effect of each model. Semantic priming was driven primarily by experiential similarity between prime and target, with no evidence of an independent effect of distributional or taxonomic similarity. Furthermore, only the experiential models accounted for unique variance in priming after partialling out explicit similarity ratings. These results support experiential accounts of semantic representation and indicate that, despite their good performance at some linguistic tasks, the distributional models evaluated here do not encode the same kind of information used by the human semantic system.

Space Analysis in Palaeolithic Cave Art: Towards a Multidisciplinary and Integrated Approach

Abstract We present a revision of the concept of space in Palaeolithic cave art. Previous research attempting to approach this notion encounters several gaps, which surface on multiple levels: subjectivity, vagueness, restrictions on its conceptualisation, its illustration (two-dimensional description and representation), among others. We reassess the key elements at play, interpretative attempts, and theoretical concepts to gain a better understanding of the notion of space as applied to cave art. This is achieved by examining the historiography not only in prehistory but also in related disciplines, integrating new theoretical approaches and insights from ethnoarchaeology, linguistics, cognitive science, and analytic philosophy. Following this analysis of the existing research, we propose a new method to address the aforementioned issues. This method relies on digital quantitative tools for spatial analysis and three-dimensional representation, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and 3D visualisation. Through the application of these advanced technological tools, we aim to offer a more comprehensive and precise representation of the spatial aspects in Palaeolithic cave art, enabling researchers to analyse and comprehend the complexities of spatial distribution in a systematic and quantitative manner.

Emblems: Meaning at the interface of language and gesture

Emblems—the THUMBS UP, the HEAD SHAKE, the PEACE SIGN, the SHHH—are communicative gestures that have a conventional form and conventional meaning within a particular community. This makes them more “word-like” than other gestures and gives them a distinctive position at the interface between language and gesture. Here we provide an overview of emblems as a recurring feature of the human communicative toolkit. We first discuss the major defining features of these gestures, and their points of commonality and difference with neighbouring communicative phenomena. Next, we review efforts to document emblems around the world. Our survey highlights the patchiness of global coverage, as well as strengths and limitations of approaches used to date. Finally, we consider a handful of open questions about emblems, including how they mean, how they are learned, and why they exist in the first place. Addressing these questions will require collaboration among linguists, lexicographers, anthropologists, cognitive scientists, and others. It will also deepen our understanding of human semiotic systems and how they interface with each other.

The irrationality of human confidence that an ageless existence would be better

Transhumanists and their fellow travelers urge humanity to prioritize the development of biotechnologies that would eliminate aging, delivering ‘an endless summer of literally perpetual youth.’ Aspiring not to age instantiates what philosopher Martha Nussbaum calls the yearning for ‘external transcendence,’ or the fundamental surpassing of human bounds due to confidence that life without them would be better. Based on Immanuel Kant’s account of the parameters of human understanding, I argue that engineering agelessness could not be a rational priority for humanity on the level of public policy. This stance is complemented by an argument focused on individual decision-making in liberal-democratic milieus, where no governing conception of the good is presumed and the first-personal level matters greatly. Here, drawing on philosopher and cognitive scientist Laurie Ann Paul’s concept of ‘transformative experience,’ I maintain that individuals could not ‘rationally,’ meaning, here, ‘prudentially,’ say ‘yes’ to agelessness. Absorbing the irrationality of human zeal to eliminate aging, based on assurance that an ageless existence would be better, should spur a redoubled dedication to human flourishing.