Functional Theory Of Cognition Research Articles

Information Trading en términos de cognición funcional de los corredores: un estudio exploratorio experimental de un solo participante

Information trading (henceforth IT) is a criminal offense in the vicinity of mega stock markets. It gives an unfair and illegal advantage to the buyer of related information. The national and global damage caused by this sort of delinquency is immense, in a yearly scale of trillions. On top of the applied importance of such offenses, they pose
 a meaningful theoretical and empirical challenge. The present proposal offers an attempt to exemplify the viability of the Functional Theory of Cognition and the methodological counterpart of the theory, Functional Measurement, as a means to establish a basis for related profiling attempts in terms of the functional way IT is coded in the beholders’ (i.e., senior brokers) cognitive system. An exemplary single-participant functional measurement is presented along with a demo empirical illustration of the way the distinction between Type A and Type B brokers can contribute to due profiling. Possible future related scientific ventures are pointed at briefly.

Lexical templates within a functional cognitive theory of meaning

Within the context of the Lexical Constructional Model, which provides a comprehensive account of the relationship between syntax and all facets on meaning construction, this paper is concerned with one of the major representational modules of the model, viz. a lexical template. It is claimed that a lexical template consists of a semantic specification plus a logical structure. The logical structure formalism is constructed on the basis of Aktionsart distinctions proposed in Role and Reference Grammar (Van Valin & Lapolla, 1997; Van Valin, 2005). Aktionsart regularities are captured by the external variables of the template, specified in Roman characters, and by a set of high-level elements of structure that function as semantic primitives. Lexical templates also contain internal variables, marked with Arabic numerals, and formally expressed in terms of a catalogue of lexical functions. These variables capture world-knowledge elements that relate in a way specific to the predicate defined by the lexical template. In order to test the viability of lexical templates, a detailed analysis of a set of verbs within the lexical domain of cognition is included.

Cognitive Algebra in Sport Decision-Making

Two studies examined whether simple algebraic rules that have been shown to be operative in many applied settings may also be found in sport decision-making. The theoretical framework for these studies was the Functional Theory of Cognition (Anderson, Contributions to information integration theory. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1996). The way in which novices but already experienced team sport players (soccer, basketball, and handball players) combine different informational cues (relative importance of the game, numerical status of the team, current score, and time left to play) for deciding a quick restart of play near the end of a match was examined. The basic finding are consistent with the proposition that the knowledge bases at work for judging the appropriateness of this type of sport decisions are structured according to simple algebraic rules.

Decision-making in soccer game: a developmental perspective

The aim of this study was to examine how different age groups organize various informational cues for decision-making in soccer game. The theoretical framework for these studies was the Functional Theory of Cognition (Anderson, 1996). The way in which team sport players of different ages (12–14, 15–16, 17–18 years old and seniors) combine different informational cues (relative importance of the game, numerical status of the team, current score, and time left to play) for deciding a quick restart of play near the end of a match was examined. The basic findings are consistent with the proposition that the knowledge bases at work for judging the appropriateness of this type of sport decisions are structured differently depending of the age groups.

Therapists' perceptions of the link between stress and the urge to drink among alcoholics

The present study examined the ability of therapists who have clinical experience in treating alcoholism to perceive the specific way alcoholics function cognitively when confronted with potentially stressful events and to conceive of the link between stress and the urge to drink in an alcoholic population. The methodological framework used was an application of Anderson's functional theory of cognition (FTC) [Anderson, N. H. (1996). A functional theory of cognition. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum]. The total sample was composed of 226 participants (76 therapists and 150 alcoholic inpatients). The results revealed that therapists were (a) highly capable of assessing the cognitive processes of patients, both their judgments of stress and urge to drink and (b) well aware of the particular relationship between stress and alcohol that characterizes the alcoholic population. However, the results also indicated a propensity on the part of therapists to overestimate the extent of the urge to drink generated by different situations. Despite several limitations, this study is one of the first to demonstrate therapists' understanding of the cognitive functioning of alcoholic patients.

Cognitive algebra of love through the adult life.

The study was aimed at characterizing the exact algebraic structure of the love schema in order to trace possible changes in the conceptualization of love throughout the adult life cycle, notably as regards the weight attributed to the three components of love: passion, intimacy, and commitment. The methodological framework was the Functional Theory of Cognition. Irrespective of the gender and age of the participants (from 18 to 93), the structure of the love schema was shown to obey an equal-weight-averaging rule; the love schema was conceived as a strictly compensatory schema. Irrespective of age and gender, passion was the most important factor (w = .51), followed by intimacy (.29) and commitment (.20). The relationship between overall love value and degree of passion (or intimacy or commitment) was not conceived as a linear one, but as an exponential one. The weight of passion was shown to decline over age, and the weight of commitment was shown to increase over age. This change was, however, very limited and observed in elderly participants only.

Employment and family as determinants of anticipated life satisfaction among young Greek adults

The aims of this study were (a) to examine the relationship between employment, family size and anticipated life satisfaction, (b) to study gender differences in these relationships, and finally (c) to provide a model for the relationship between anticipated life satisfaction, employment and family among young Greek adults. The study was conducted in the methodological framework of the Functional Theory of Cognition. The sample was composed of 160 young single Greek adults. The rule which best accounted for anticipated satisfaction with life judgments was an additive rule which may be expressed as: Anticipated satisfaction=Proximity to optimal personal employment level +Proximity to optimal spouse's employment level +Proximity to optimal family size. This rule is valid as long as acceptable personal (for males) or personal and spouse's (for females) employment levels are considered. Overall, young adult Greek men are prepared for and accept the role of main income earners, young adult Greek women are prepared for and accept the role of secondary income earners, and neither young adult Greek women nor men are interested in having many children. La preésente eétude a chercheé (a) à caracteériser de manière preécise la relation entre niveau d'emploi (de pas d'emploi à plein emploi), taille de la famille (de zeéro à trois enfants) et satisfaction de vie anticipeée, (b) à mettre en eévidence d'eéventuelles diffeérences dans cette relation qui seraient lieées au sexe, et (c) à fournir un modeéle algeébrique de cette relation. L'eétude a eéteé conduite dans le cadre meéthodologique de la Theéorie Fonctionnelle de la Cognition. L'eéchantillon eétait composeé de 160 jeunes adultes grecs ceélibataires. La règle cognitive qui rend le mieux compte de la satisfaction anticipeée est une règle de type additif qui peut être exprimeée de la manière suivante: Satisfaction anticipeée=Proximiteé par rapport au niveau optimal d'emploi personnel +Proximiteé par rapport au niveau optimal d'emploi de l'eépoux +Proximiteé par rapport à la taille optimale de la famille. Cette règle vaut aussi longtemps que des niveaux acceptables d'emploi personnel (pour les hommes) ou d'emploi personnel et d'emploi de l'eépoux (pour les femmes) sont consideéreés. Les jeunes hommes Grecs acceptent en totaliteé le rôle de fournisseur du revenu principal du foyer. Les jeunes femmes Grecques acceptent en totaliteé le rôle de fournisseur d'un revenu d'appoint. Les jeunes femmes Grecques ne sont, pas davantage que les hommes, inteéresseées à avoir beaucoup d'enfants.

Judging the Pleasantness of Contour-Rhythm-Pitch-Timbre Musical Combinations

The way people with various degrees of musical training integrate timbre, melodic contour, rhythm, and pitch information in an overall pleasantness judgment for musical excerpts was investigated. The theoretical and methodological framework of the study was the functional theory of cognition. In 2 experiments, participants were asked to attribute an overall pleasantness value to combinations of these factors. In Experiment 1, timbre, contour, rhythm, and overall pitch were manipulated. In Experiment 2, timbre and theme (a pattern of pitch and rhythm) were manipulated. Both experiments showed that in judging the pleasantness of musical combinations, participants apply a simple, additive rule in which the weight attributed to one element does not depend of the value of the other elements. Very few differences in regard to the combination rule were observed between participants with and without musical training. These results are discussed in reference to the controversy over pitch and rhythm interaction.

Violations of out-group and in-group regulations in the eyes of ordinary and protected prisoners: an instance of judgmental modularity.

According to the functional theory of cognition, everyday life blaming for wrongdoing reflects individuals' functional morality. The judgments of normative people were found to be modular, that is, changeable as a function of the social role taken at the moment of the judgment. This article presents several empirical indications that prisoners' functional moral judgments are modular as well. These studies were conducted within the experimental framework of functional measurement, which was chosen due to its ability to bypass prisoners' suspicion and resistance to out-group investigations. The studies focus on delinquents' core moral issues such as eyewitness testimony and informing to out-group authorities. As expected, the judgments of ordinary and protected inmates were modular. It is claimed that these findings are applicable to offender rehabilitation and correction and to offender therapy.

Eliciting patient disutilities for the adverse outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Background: in helping patients decide about treatments, such as whether to authorize cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), physicians typically present information about the possible outcomes and their likelihoods. The aim of this study was to elicit patient disutilities for the adverse outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) using the methodology of NH Anderson's functional theory of cognition and to determine how patients integrate the disutility and the likelihood of an outcome. Methods: 77 French adults rated scenarios of possible outcomes of CPR on a linear scale with anchors ‘what would be the best (or worst) for me.’ In 25 of the 27 scenarios, the result would be either total recovery or one of five adverse outcomes (chest injury, mild reversible brain damage, severe irreversible brain damage, death after intensive care, immediate death) with one of five likelihoods (one to five chances out of ten). In the other two, the only possible result was either total recovery or immediate death. Results: the mean disutilities relative to 0 for chest injury and 100 for severe brain damage were 13 for mild brain injury, 68 for death after intensive care, and 69 for immediate death. The graphs of the ratings of each adverse outcome in relation to its frequency were fan-shaped, showing that participants integrated this information multiplicatively. Conclusions: the functional theory of cognition provides an alternate method of eliciting patient utilities for the outcomes of CPR and supports clinicians’ assumption that people combine utility and likelihood multiplicatively.

Interpersonal Forgiveness Among Lebanese: A Six-Community Study

The willingness to forgive a severe offense was studied in a sample of 48 participants from the three Lebanese Islamic communities of Druze, Shiite, and Sunni. Results were compared with those obtained by Azar, Mullet, and Vinsonneau (1999) based on a sample of Catholics, Maronites, and Orthodox Christians. The study considers the effects of a number of circumstances on the willingness to forgive such as intent to harm, cancellation of consequences, religious and social similarity to the offender, and apologies from the offender, as well as variations of these effects as a function of age, gender, and educational level. We employed an application of Norman Anderson's functional theory of cognition. Twenty-four stories were constructed by varying systematically the levels of each of the four circumstances quoted above. In each case, participants were asked to rate their willingness to forgive on a forgiveness scale. The more important results concern (a) the overall level of willingness to forgive, which was practically equivalent in each of the six religious subgroups, (b) the impact of the religious similarity factor (Christian versus Islamic), which was very weak in every group, and (c) the effect of the apologies factor which remained consistently important.

Self-assessment of inebriation from external indices.

The objective was to study people's judgments, through the use of external indices, of their expected degree of inebriation and to characterize the cognitive processes involved in making these judgments. The participants were 143 adults living in France. In accordance with N. H. Anderson's functional theory of cognition (1982, 1996), their primary task was to read 64 cards depicting drinking situations characterized by three parameters: number of glasses, type of drink, and temporal relation to eating; to associate with each situation a certain degree of personal intoxication; and to indicate this degree of expected intoxication on linear scale anchored by Not at all drunk and Extremely drunk. Participants were able to judge the general direction and combination of effects. They indicated incorrectly, however, that incremental effects decrease at higher levels of consumption (4 or more glasses) and at higher concentrations of alcohol in a drink. On the other hand, they indicated correctly that eating food decreases the impact of drinking alcohol. Drinkers and nondrinkers used different rules for self-assessment from external indices. IMPICATIONS: The systematic errors in both drinkers' and nondrinkers' use of external clues could, unless corrected, result in their becoming more inebriated than intended.

The Propensity to Forgive: Findings from Lebanon

The propensity to forgive a severe offense is studied in a sample of 48 people from three religious communities in Lebanon: Catholics, Maronites, and Orthodox. The effects of a number of circumstances: intent to harm, cancellation of consequences, religious and social proximity to the offender and apologies from the offender, on the propensity to forgive, and the variation of these effects as a function of age, gender, and educational level, were considered. The method was an application of Norman Anderson's functional theory of cognition. Twenty-four stories were constructed by varying systematically the levels of each of the four factors quoted above. Participants were asked to rate in each case their propensity to forgive on a forgiveness scale. The more important results concern: (a) the overall level of propensity to forgive, which was higher than expected, (b) the impact of the religious proximity factor, which was very slight, and (c) the effect of the apologies factor, which was extremely important.

Functional memory versus reproductive memory

A functional theory of memory has already been developed as part of a general functional theory of cognition. The traditional conception of memory as “reproductive” touches on only a minor function. The primary function of memory is in constructing values for goal-directedness of everyday thought and action. This functional approach to memory rests on a solid empirical foundation.

A functional theory of cognition

Contents: Foreword. Preface. Cognitive Theory of Everyday Life. Cognitive Algebra. Psychological Measurement Theory. Person Cognition. Unified Social Cognition. Social Development. Moral Algebra. Cognitive Development. Integration Psychophysics. Cognitive Theory of Judgement-Decision. Functional Memory. Algebraic Language Processing. Unified Theory.