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Questions and Answers For The Lectures On HCI

The document summarizes key concepts from Module 8 on modeling human cognition. It discusses two approaches to modeling cognition - computational and connectionist. A cognitive architecture is defined as a theory of cognition implemented as a computer simulation. Production systems use IF-THEN rules. The Model Human Processor contains perceptual, cognitive, and motor subsystems. Cognition is implemented through cognitive cycles of matching working memory to production rules.

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104 views2 pages

Questions and Answers For The Lectures On HCI

The document summarizes key concepts from Module 8 on modeling human cognition. It discusses two approaches to modeling cognition - computational and connectionist. A cognitive architecture is defined as a theory of cognition implemented as a computer simulation. Production systems use IF-THEN rules. The Model Human Processor contains perceptual, cognitive, and motor subsystems. Cognition is implemented through cognitive cycles of matching working memory to production rules.

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mehul agarwal
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Questions and Answers for the Lectures on HCI

Module 8
1. Discuss the two approaches to model human cognition.

Answer: The two broad approaches to model human cognition are (a) the computational
approach, in which human cognition is modeled using computer metaphors, such as
processor, memory etc., and (b) the connectionist approach, in which biological
metaphors, such as neurons, are used.

2. Define cognitive architecture. What is a production system?

Answer: A cognitive architecture is defined as a broad theory of human cognition based


on a wide selection of human experimental data, and implemented as a running computer
simulation program. These belong to the computational approach of modeling cognition.

Production systems are one type of cognitive architectures, in which the cognition is
implemented with the help of a set of production (IF- ELSE) rules.

3. Discuss in brief the organization and working of the Model Human Processor (MHP).

Answer: The MHP contains three interacting subsystems: (a) the perceptual subsystem
representing the process of taking sensory input from the environment, (b) the cognitive
subsystem representing the process of cognition and (c) the motor subsystem representing
the motor actions in response to some perceptual or cognitive stimulus. Each of these
subsystems has their own memory and processors. The perceptual subsystem consists of
two types of memory, namely the visual (decay time ≈ 200 ms) and the auditory (decay
time ≈ 1500 ms) stores. The perceptual cycle takes about 100 ms. The cognitive
subsystem depends on the short term (working) memory with limited storage capacity
(decay time ≈ 7s for each chunk of information) and the long term memory (infinite
storage capacity, no decay). A cognitive cycle takes about 70 ms. The working memory
also acts as the memory component of the motor subsystem. Execution of a motor action
(cycle) takes about 70 ms.

There are ten principles of operations that govern the working of the subsystems in the
MHP, as listed below.

i. P0 -- Recognize-Act cycle of the cognitive processor

ii. P1 -- Variable perceptual processor rate


iii. P2 -- Encoding specificity principle

iv. P3 -- Discrimination principle

v. P4 -- Variable cognitive processor rate principle

vi. P5 -- Fitts’s law

vii. P6 -- Power law of practice

viii. P7 -- Uncertainty principle

ix. P8 -- Rationality principle

x. P9 -- Problem space principle

4. What are the two principles of operations most important for the working of MHP?
Explain those briefly.

Answer: The principles P8 and P9, in the listing of principles in Q3, are the two most
important principles governing the working of MHP. The principle P8, the rationality
principle, states that the human behavior is determined by a set of factors that include
goals, task, inputs and knowledge. The problem space principle or P9 states that any goal
directed activity can be described in terms of a set of states of knowledge, operators for
changing one state into another, constraints on applying operators and control knowledge
for deciding which operator to apply next (see slides 10-20, Lecture 2, Module 8 for more
details on P9).

5. How the process of cognition is implemented in MHP?

Answer: In MHP, the cognition is implemented using the notion of “cognitive cycles”,
which are essentially pattern-matching processes. The long term memory contains two
types of knowledge: procedural containing a set of IF-ELSE (production) rules and
declarative, where facts about the world are stored. In a cognitive cycle, the procedural
memory is activated. The IF parts are then matched with the content of the working
memory. If a match is found, the rule is “fired” (i.e., the THEN part is executed by the
cognitive process, which may involve retrieving knowledge from the declarative
memory). There can be multiple rule firings for the same input. The result of rule firing is
a change in the working memory (and possible also of the declarative memory) content,
which may instigate further rule firings. This way the cycle continues till no more rules
are fired. As we mentioned before (Q3), on an average these cycles take about 70 ms to
complete.

The process described above is also known as the “recognize-act cycle” (principle P0 in
the set of principles of operations).

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