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Mathematics and Cognition Seminar Fall 2008 Tuesdays 12:15 PSA 206 Seminar Schedule: <http://math.la.asu.edu/~tom/cognition/math+cogsched.html> Cookies and Coffee Starting at 12:00 Note the New Location! Map ("X" marks the spot) |
On Tuesday, November 4, at 12:15 in PSA 206,
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Abstract Frequently mathematical models of human information-processing represent the information using abstract units, implying that data is encoded as arbitrary features or generic bits. In contrast, in this talk I will review research I have performed that supports the idea that cognitive/perceptual information-processing mechanisms are coupled to specific, salient patterns in the environment referred to as natural regularities. In particular, I will review work in the area of object and motion perception, and argue that observers appear to be particularly attuned to a set of natural regularities, and that we weight the extent of influence of each regularity in roughly a Bayesian manner, based on its long-term reliability. In short, our information-processing mechanisms appear to have evolved to be coupled to environmental features to the degree that matches their reliability in the natural world. The work suggests that when Engineers attempt to build things like automated pattern-recognition systems, we may benefit by understanding the human cognitive/perceptual biases that evolution has selected. (And yes, I will include lots of cartoons and fun figures to take your mind off of Election Day |