COGSCI 200- MIDTERM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

what are the three levels of analysis for cognitive science - Answer-functional, algorithmic, physical functional level of analysis - Answer-the problem that the capacity is supposed to solve algorithmic level of analysis - Answer-how we are actually solving it (Bayes' theorem, Turing machines, phrase structure grammars) physical levels of analysis - Answer-what are the chemical/neural substrates in which the algorithms are being implemented themes of cognitive science - Answer-computation, levels of analysis/explanation, tacit knowledge, unconscious processing, modularity, innateness, rationality, dual process models computation - Answer-how does a computer readily add? -- representations and rules for binary addition are important. tacit knowledge - Answer-things you know but can't readily explain (i.e. grammar rules that we can't articulate but know) unconscious processing - Answer-things your mind does without your awareness (i.e. Bayes' Theorem is an algorithm employed by the mind to create 3D perception and is done unconsciously) modularity - Answer-the human mind/brain is organized so that there is specialization of functions (i.e. blindsight-- people who are cortically blind can still perceive because of simultaneous specialized processes) innateness - Answer-where do the contents of the mind originate? (i.e. baby cognition) rationality - Answer-reasoning correctly and doing the right thing. Heuristics and biases problem: people are terrible at logical reasoning and statistics, we often use heuristics to make decisions and judgements.