IFSR Newsletter 1998 Vol 17 No. 2 June
Arne Collen, Eliano Pessa, Nicholas Paritsis M.P. Penna
The general plan of the investigation was:
- Introduction
- The need for cognitive models in a number of different domains
(psychology, psychiatry, human – computer interactions, organizations, etc.) - The need for general principles underlying the design of cognitive models
- Problems of definition
- Different definitions of knowledge
- Problems with different approaches
- Need for considering the different approaches as complementary rather than opposite
- General Principles
- The models should be presented in a wider context
- The model could be improved by considering higher and lower levels of system organization, by taking are of the interfaces between levels, so as to constrain the model.
- Attempt is to be made to relate microscopic and macroscopic aspects of
model in clear way. (hybrid models) - Clarify the relationships between traditional informational content (amount) and knowledge content of the model
- Consider the relationships between cognitive functions taken consideration and non-cognitive aspects, such effects, emotions, etc.
- Use of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach which can be related
to social and psychological approaches - Use as much as possible systems concepts and language
- Find isomorphisms between information – processing systems and other living, and
artificial, organizational systems - Consider the purpose of the model in order to decide the contents and the tools of modeling (e.g, see Jackson’s classification)
- Try to find a description as economic as possible
- mainly those involved in circular causality processes
- quote the technical methods to eliminate variables in loops
- Examples of cognitive models which could become frameworks for cognitive
modeling - Model by Paritsis
- Model by Anderson (ACT)
- Artificial life Model
- Relation to general principles
- Use as few variables as possible (only the most important ones) to explain and
represent the complexity of the cognitive processes. - Pay attention to circular causal loops that have to be preserved in the model
because they usually play an important
role.