PECASE: Information Processing Models of Memory Retrieval and Response Priming

9702291 Van Zandt认知心理学的一个重要研究领域是信息，无论是直接影响感官的信息，还是从记忆中提取的信息，在认知过程中如何转化，以便执行简单的任务。了解这一转变过程为更广泛地理解人类行为提供了基础。这项研究将强调一种理论上的、模型驱动的行为研究方法，其中将开发和测试一些人类信息处理的模型。特别是，本研究将使用神经网络模型和某些统计模型来解释记忆提取任务中行为变量(如反应时、反应准确性和置信度)之间的交互作用。此外，这项研究还将与Zanvyl Krieger心智/大脑研究所的Ernst Niebur博士合作，构建生物学上看似合理的简单决策模型。这些模型可能代表着朝着人类认知的生物现实模型的发展迈出了一步。随着心理科学变得更加专业化，学生们需要更多的数学和统计训练。该项目的研究和教育活动将向研究生和本科生传授人类行为建模的知识。约翰霍普金斯大学本科生心理学课程的变化将在入门级实验心理学课程中纳入实验室和研究经验。重新设计的统计学和实验设计课程将强调计算机方法和心理学应用。因此，霍普金斯大学的本科生将对实验心理学中的科学和定量方法有更深的欣赏。此外，对认知和神经科学感兴趣的学生将有机会通过直接协助这一项目的研究在这些领域进行合作研究。这项研究在本科生和研究生的帮助下，将有助于理解网络模型和更传统的认知统计模型之间的区别和相似之处。最后，将这些认知的动态模型应用于记忆提取中的问题将增加我们对人类在做出关于世界的决定时使用信息的方式的理解，并最终使自动化方法的发展能够帮助人们以更有效的方式做出这样的决定。***

9702291 Van Zandt An important area of research in cognitive psychology is how information, whether directly impinging on the senses or retrieved from memory, is transformed during cognition to allow performance of simple tasks. Understanding this process of transformation provides the basis for understanding human behavior more generally. This research will emphasize a theoretical, model-driven approach to the study of behavior, in which a number of models of human information processing will be developed and tested. In particular, this research will use neural network models and certain statistical models to explain the interactions between behavioral variables (such as reaction time, response accuracy and confidence) in memory retrieval tasks. In addition, the research will involve the construction of biologically plausible models of simple decision-making in an interdisciplinary, collaborative effort with Dr. Ernst Niebur of the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute. These models may represent a step toward the development of biologically realistic models of human cognition. As psychological science becomes more specialized, students require more mathematical and statistical training. The research and educational activities in this project will teach graduate and undergraduate psychology students about modeling human behavior. Changes to the undergraduate psychology curriculum at the Johns Hopkins University will incorporate laboratory and research experience in introductory level experimental psychology courses. Redesigned statistics and experimental design courses will emphasize computer methods and psychological applications. As a result, Hopkins undergraduates will have a deeper appreciation for scientific and quantitative methods in experimental psychology. Furthermore, students with interests in cognition and neuroscience will have opportunities to do collaborative research in these areas by assisting directly with the research in this proj ect. This research, assisted by undergraduates and graduate students, will progress toward an understanding of the differences and similarities between network models and more traditional statistical models of cognition. Finally, the application of these kinds of dynamic models of cognition to problems in memory retrieval will increase our understanding of the ways that humans use information in making decisions about the world and ultimately enable the development of automated methods to help people make such decisions in more effective ways. ***