Behaviour & Environment
Lecture 1 (1-9-2020):
Mental representations: any mental content or operation that stands for something
else in the world (categories, exemplars, symbols, mental images, memories, truth
values, probabilities, schemas)
- Function: for the most part we do not first see and then define, but define first and
then see (classification, additional attributes, steering attention and interpretation,
communication, thinking)
- Availability (all kinds of knowledge is stored in our head) & accessibility (a limited part
of our available knowledge is accessible; activation potential of available knowledge)
- People can’t perceive their representations directly (implicit), but they can cause
consequences that are consciously perceptible (feelings, behaviours)
Environment Mental Representations Behaviour
How is knowledge stored?
Associative network models (bottom-up approach): mental representations are built
from discrete, interconnected nodes (concepts). implicitly (parallel search) & explicitly
(serial search)
- Representations are implicit until they pass the threshold of conscious awareness
(quantitative) or when intentionally performing a serial search (qualitative)
Schema models (top-down approach): perceivers go beyond the information given,
schemas operate as a lens, directs attention, memory and judgement (a broad
representation that structures and make sense of psychological experience).
- Knowledge structures are used implicitly in the processing of new information, but the
content of the schemas is explicit.
Predictive coding: using prior knowledge for perceiving the world, posterior
(comparison between perception and prior)
Connectionist models: parallel distribution processing (nodes (no semantic meaning),
facilitative & inhibitive links, concepts exist by means of dynamic interplay of
distributed elements (meaning of nodes changes depending on context; input,
hidden, output), connection weights (links) change very slowly)
- Active representational patterns are conscious but the connectionist network is
implicit
Multiple format models: there are multiple models (e.g. verbal, visual, behavioural,
affective (semantic associative system, affective memory system, procedural memory
system), qualitative differences between the systems have important implications for
whether representations are implicit or explicit.
- Some representational systems both representations and use are implicit (affect &
action), for others only use is implicit (visual & verbal)
, Embodied cognition: mental representations extend outside the mind, to the body
and to the external environment? (representations are modality-specific (sensory
experiences), stored in the body, partial re-experience)
- Sensory representations can be conscious, but this might vary by sensory modality
Situated cognition: mental representations result from dynamic interactions between
the brain, body, and environment (extended mind)
- Situated representations can be conscious depending on contextual salience
Behaviour Regulation
Integrative theory; Reflective Impulsive model (Strack
& Deutsch):
- Impulsive behaviour: based on spreading activation
of knowledge to motor representations according to
ideo-motor processes (from perceptual input or
reflective processes), without intention or goal
(elements are connected through associative links
automaticity (four horsemen): lack of
consciousness, efficient, no intention, no control
- Reflective behaviour: based on choices, a
consequence of a decision process. Choices may
by means of intentions activate motor-representations in the
impulsive system (choice (R) intention (R) motor-
representation (I). elements are connected through semantic
relations)
Both systems operate in parallel: the impulsive system is
always engaged in processing (by itself or parallel to
operations of the reflective system), whereas the reflective
system needs motivation and opportunity
“Do not curse” may be counterproductive (negating):
The word "curse" might activate the concept of cursing making it more accessible. The
reflective system might not be active to process the negation when you just quickly see it and
maybe are deprived of cognitive resources when in a bad mood. (only if there is sufficient
processing time, intention and cognitive capacity to extract meaning of a negation, it will be
processed with the reflective system and the task can be completed successfully)
Understanding priming effects
Empirical inconsistency:
- conceptual priming seems a very powerful phenomenon
- behaviour priming effects seem difficult to replicate (context/culture dependent)
- lots of studies were underpowered (false positive)
- participants are correcting for the biasing influence of the prime or using the prime as
a comparison standard.
Theoretical aspects: the process is critical, not the prime itself. Moderators (value,
self-relevance), new models (how does a prime affect behaviour)
Lecture 1 (1-9-2020):
Mental representations: any mental content or operation that stands for something
else in the world (categories, exemplars, symbols, mental images, memories, truth
values, probabilities, schemas)
- Function: for the most part we do not first see and then define, but define first and
then see (classification, additional attributes, steering attention and interpretation,
communication, thinking)
- Availability (all kinds of knowledge is stored in our head) & accessibility (a limited part
of our available knowledge is accessible; activation potential of available knowledge)
- People can’t perceive their representations directly (implicit), but they can cause
consequences that are consciously perceptible (feelings, behaviours)
Environment Mental Representations Behaviour
How is knowledge stored?
Associative network models (bottom-up approach): mental representations are built
from discrete, interconnected nodes (concepts). implicitly (parallel search) & explicitly
(serial search)
- Representations are implicit until they pass the threshold of conscious awareness
(quantitative) or when intentionally performing a serial search (qualitative)
Schema models (top-down approach): perceivers go beyond the information given,
schemas operate as a lens, directs attention, memory and judgement (a broad
representation that structures and make sense of psychological experience).
- Knowledge structures are used implicitly in the processing of new information, but the
content of the schemas is explicit.
Predictive coding: using prior knowledge for perceiving the world, posterior
(comparison between perception and prior)
Connectionist models: parallel distribution processing (nodes (no semantic meaning),
facilitative & inhibitive links, concepts exist by means of dynamic interplay of
distributed elements (meaning of nodes changes depending on context; input,
hidden, output), connection weights (links) change very slowly)
- Active representational patterns are conscious but the connectionist network is
implicit
Multiple format models: there are multiple models (e.g. verbal, visual, behavioural,
affective (semantic associative system, affective memory system, procedural memory
system), qualitative differences between the systems have important implications for
whether representations are implicit or explicit.
- Some representational systems both representations and use are implicit (affect &
action), for others only use is implicit (visual & verbal)
, Embodied cognition: mental representations extend outside the mind, to the body
and to the external environment? (representations are modality-specific (sensory
experiences), stored in the body, partial re-experience)
- Sensory representations can be conscious, but this might vary by sensory modality
Situated cognition: mental representations result from dynamic interactions between
the brain, body, and environment (extended mind)
- Situated representations can be conscious depending on contextual salience
Behaviour Regulation
Integrative theory; Reflective Impulsive model (Strack
& Deutsch):
- Impulsive behaviour: based on spreading activation
of knowledge to motor representations according to
ideo-motor processes (from perceptual input or
reflective processes), without intention or goal
(elements are connected through associative links
automaticity (four horsemen): lack of
consciousness, efficient, no intention, no control
- Reflective behaviour: based on choices, a
consequence of a decision process. Choices may
by means of intentions activate motor-representations in the
impulsive system (choice (R) intention (R) motor-
representation (I). elements are connected through semantic
relations)
Both systems operate in parallel: the impulsive system is
always engaged in processing (by itself or parallel to
operations of the reflective system), whereas the reflective
system needs motivation and opportunity
“Do not curse” may be counterproductive (negating):
The word "curse" might activate the concept of cursing making it more accessible. The
reflective system might not be active to process the negation when you just quickly see it and
maybe are deprived of cognitive resources when in a bad mood. (only if there is sufficient
processing time, intention and cognitive capacity to extract meaning of a negation, it will be
processed with the reflective system and the task can be completed successfully)
Understanding priming effects
Empirical inconsistency:
- conceptual priming seems a very powerful phenomenon
- behaviour priming effects seem difficult to replicate (context/culture dependent)
- lots of studies were underpowered (false positive)
- participants are correcting for the biasing influence of the prime or using the prime as
a comparison standard.
Theoretical aspects: the process is critical, not the prime itself. Moderators (value,
self-relevance), new models (how does a prime affect behaviour)
