A cognitive-Scientific Study on Interaction between Hypotheses and Data in the Process of Forming Theories

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

We investigated the process of mental constrains relaxation as a key factor for gaining insight, using a discovery task. In our experiments, we set up for kinds of experimental conditions. First, we introduced three conditions while controlling mental blocking factors : (1) a condition in which subjects searched an hypothesis space, (2) subjects clung a blocking hypothesis in an incorrect hypothesis space, and (3) subjects gained no constrains as above. Second, based on feedback factors, the condition (2) was subdivided into the following to cases : (2a) a case in which a prediction from a subject's hypothesis missed largely from an experimental result, and (2b) a case in which a prediction and an experimental result were separating gradually. The experimental results showed that finding the target was disturbed more remarkably as stronger blocking factors were given. Especially, when subjects who formed an invalid blocking hypothesis were given only gradual feedback, the subjects'perf … More ormance of finding the target extremely declined.Moreover, we investigated collaborative discovery processes using interactive production systems. We controlled the degree of sharing cognitive space : (a) the experimental space was only shared, (b) the hypothesis space was also shared, and (c) these two kinds of space were integrated. We compared the performance of finding targets in the three types of collaboration above with the performance in the case of two systems independently finding targets. If the performance in the former cases exceeds that in the latter case, we approve of emergence brought by interaction by two system. The results of the computer simulations were consistent with our ordinary knowledge on collaboration. That is, as the extent of sharing common space is larger and two interactive systems perform deeper collaboration, the effects of interaction gradually increase. If two systems obtain the maximum effects of collaboration by exchanging intellectually mutual information, collaboration produces emergence. Less