CogSci Midterm Terms (CGSC 110) UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Instinct Blindness Our cognitive intuitions offer terrible insights into the way our minds actually work.
Central idea of Cognitive Science.
Marr's 3 Levels 1) Computational (What are the problems being solved?)
2) Algorithmic (What are the steps used to solve it?)
3) Implementation (How are those steps implemented in underlying hardware
(biological or otherwise?)
Mnemonic: CAMP (the i from implementation is silent)
Why is each level of Marr's 3 levels critical? 1) You can't get by with only computation. Many aspects of cognition can be
explained only by appeal to the nature of the algorithm or substrate.
2) You can't get by with only implementation. Other levels are needed to capture
relevant generalizations. "Trying to understand perception by studying only
neurons is like trying to understand bird flight by studying only feathers: it just
cannot be done." -Marr
3) The different levels create constraints for the other levels. There are constraints
from below (when neuroscience constrains psychology) and from above (when
computation constrains psych and neuroscience)
Scope of cognition Cognition isn't about studying specific thoughts and behaviors, but rather the set
of mechanisms that make possible a range of activities. Individual differences not
a focus.
Gender differences Real, Balanced, "Significant", Nuanced. Spatial cognition skills vary significantly,
most likely due to different historic roles male hunter vs female gatherer.
Weak Equivalence Same input/output relations. Doing the same thing but in a different way. Similarity
on the computational level.
Strong Equivalence Same input/output relations AND same intermediate steps. Doing the same thing,
the same way. Similarity on both computational and algorithmic levels.
Testing for Strong Equivalence 1) Error analysis: do the two systems make the same mistakes in the same
situations?
2) complexity analysis: do the two systems take equally long to process the same
set of inputs?
Crucial point about Nature vs. Nurture Innate structure is DESIGNED to learn, making it a "worse than useless" question
Heritability the proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic variance between
people
, Why believe in innateness? 1) twins reared apart studies
2) precocious infant cognition
3) poverty of the stimulus arguments
4) neurodevelopmental disorders
5) Cultural universality
Heritability over time research shows that the heritability of traits changes over time. specifically,
conservatism becomes more heritable among dizygotic twins after age 20
Poverty of the stimulus argument Some behaviors/abilities cannot be explained solely by learning from the
exposure of the mind to stimuli, so there must be some innate knowledge.
Originates from linguistics, where Chomsky argues that language is too complex
to be learned without some sort of innate language faculties. also applies to
Hershberger.
What is heritable? "Almost every character in almost every species that has been studied intensively
exhibits nonzero heritability." (Lynch/Walsh).
- well-being
- social potency
- achievement
- social closeness
- alienation
- aggression
- control
- harm avoidance
- traditionalism
Heritability Caveats 1) making our own environments (?)
2) shared placental environments. 70% of homozygotic twins share a placental
environment, perhaps causing similarities instead of genes
3) just because a trait is heritable doesn't mean there is a gene specifically for that
trait. for example, heritability of math ability could be affected by genetic coding
for body size, since big/strong people are more likely to get distracted by sports
and thus not be as good at math.
Why have innateness? Some things...
1) ... take too much time to learn
2) ... are impossible to learn
3) ... are too important to learn
4) ... require uniformity (eg language)
Confusions about innateness - "If it's not present at birth, it must be learned from the environment." False.
Counterexample: puberty is a massive change that takes place long after birth.
- "Innate cognitive mechanisms have no need for environmental input." False.
Cognitive mechanisms are designed to learn.
- "Innate cognitive mechanisms can never be changed." False. Again, cognitive
mechanisms are designed to learn.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Instinct Blindness Our cognitive intuitions offer terrible insights into the way our minds actually work.
Central idea of Cognitive Science.
Marr's 3 Levels 1) Computational (What are the problems being solved?)
2) Algorithmic (What are the steps used to solve it?)
3) Implementation (How are those steps implemented in underlying hardware
(biological or otherwise?)
Mnemonic: CAMP (the i from implementation is silent)
Why is each level of Marr's 3 levels critical? 1) You can't get by with only computation. Many aspects of cognition can be
explained only by appeal to the nature of the algorithm or substrate.
2) You can't get by with only implementation. Other levels are needed to capture
relevant generalizations. "Trying to understand perception by studying only
neurons is like trying to understand bird flight by studying only feathers: it just
cannot be done." -Marr
3) The different levels create constraints for the other levels. There are constraints
from below (when neuroscience constrains psychology) and from above (when
computation constrains psych and neuroscience)
Scope of cognition Cognition isn't about studying specific thoughts and behaviors, but rather the set
of mechanisms that make possible a range of activities. Individual differences not
a focus.
Gender differences Real, Balanced, "Significant", Nuanced. Spatial cognition skills vary significantly,
most likely due to different historic roles male hunter vs female gatherer.
Weak Equivalence Same input/output relations. Doing the same thing but in a different way. Similarity
on the computational level.
Strong Equivalence Same input/output relations AND same intermediate steps. Doing the same thing,
the same way. Similarity on both computational and algorithmic levels.
Testing for Strong Equivalence 1) Error analysis: do the two systems make the same mistakes in the same
situations?
2) complexity analysis: do the two systems take equally long to process the same
set of inputs?
Crucial point about Nature vs. Nurture Innate structure is DESIGNED to learn, making it a "worse than useless" question
Heritability the proportion of phenotypic variance attributable to genetic variance between
people
, Why believe in innateness? 1) twins reared apart studies
2) precocious infant cognition
3) poverty of the stimulus arguments
4) neurodevelopmental disorders
5) Cultural universality
Heritability over time research shows that the heritability of traits changes over time. specifically,
conservatism becomes more heritable among dizygotic twins after age 20
Poverty of the stimulus argument Some behaviors/abilities cannot be explained solely by learning from the
exposure of the mind to stimuli, so there must be some innate knowledge.
Originates from linguistics, where Chomsky argues that language is too complex
to be learned without some sort of innate language faculties. also applies to
Hershberger.
What is heritable? "Almost every character in almost every species that has been studied intensively
exhibits nonzero heritability." (Lynch/Walsh).
- well-being
- social potency
- achievement
- social closeness
- alienation
- aggression
- control
- harm avoidance
- traditionalism
Heritability Caveats 1) making our own environments (?)
2) shared placental environments. 70% of homozygotic twins share a placental
environment, perhaps causing similarities instead of genes
3) just because a trait is heritable doesn't mean there is a gene specifically for that
trait. for example, heritability of math ability could be affected by genetic coding
for body size, since big/strong people are more likely to get distracted by sports
and thus not be as good at math.
Why have innateness? Some things...
1) ... take too much time to learn
2) ... are impossible to learn
3) ... are too important to learn
4) ... require uniformity (eg language)
Confusions about innateness - "If it's not present at birth, it must be learned from the environment." False.
Counterexample: puberty is a massive change that takes place long after birth.
- "Innate cognitive mechanisms have no need for environmental input." False.
Cognitive mechanisms are designed to learn.
- "Innate cognitive mechanisms can never be changed." False. Again, cognitive
mechanisms are designed to learn.
