Undergraduate Course: Computational Cognitive Science (INFR10054)
Course Outline
| School | School of Informatics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course aims to introduce students to the basic concepts and methodology needed to implement and analyse computational models of cognition. It considers the fundamental issues of using a computational approach to explore and model cognition. In particular, we explore the way that computational models relate to, are tested against, and illuminate psychological theories and data.
The course will introduce both symbolic and subsymbolic modelling methodologies, and provide practical experience with implementing models. The symbolic part will focus on cognitive architectures,while the subsymbolic part will introduce probabilistic models. |
| Course description |
- An introduction/review of the idea of computational approaches to studying cognition; the mind as information-processing system; Marr's levels of analysis (computational, algorithmic, implementation).
- The general motivations underlying the computational modelling of cognition, and different kinds of questions that can be answered (e.g., why do cognitive processes behave as they do, or what algorithms might be used to carry out this behaviour? What kinds of information are used, or how is this information processed/integrated over time?)
- Mechanistic/algorithmic approaches and issues addressed by these approaches: parallel versus serial processing, flow of information, timing effects.
- Rational/probabilistic approaches and issues addressed by these approaches: adaptation to the environment, behaviour under uncertainty, learning, timing effects.
- General issues: top-down versus bottom-up processing, online processing, integration of multiple sources of information.
- Methodology and issues in the development and evaluation of cognitive models: Which psychological data are relevant? What predictions are made by a model? How could these be tested?
- Modelling techniques: in the assignments, students will experiment with both symbolic (rulebased) and subsymbolic (probabilistic) cognitive models.
- Example models: in a number of areas we will look at the theories proposed and different ways of modelling them. Areas discussed will include several of the following: language processing, reasoning, memory, high-level vision, categorization. Specific models will be introduced and analysed with regard to relevant psychological data.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed
Informatics 1 - Cognitive Science (INFR08020)
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is open to all Informatics students including those on joint degrees. For external students where this course is not listed in your DPT, please seek special permission from the course organiser.
This course uses the R programming language for examples and coursework. No previous experience with R is assumed, but students must have some previous programming experience.
Students must also be familiar with basic probability theory, and are recommended to have some background in cognitive science, psychology, or linguistics.
In particular, the following concepts from probability are assumed:
- Counting techniques: product rule, permutations, combinations
- Axioms of probability, sample space, events, De Morgan's Law
- Joint and conditional probability, independence, chain rule, law of total probability, Bayes' Theorem
- Random variables, expectation, variance, covariance
- Common discrete and continuous distributions (e.g., Bernoulli, binomial, Poisson, uniform, exponential, normal)
The recommended background in cognitive science can be achieved by taking courses in psychology or linguistics. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students are required to have comparable background to that assumed by the course prerequisites listed above. If in doubt, consult the course organiser (lecturer).
This course is open to full year Visiting Students only, as the course is delivered in Semester 1 and examined at the end of Semester 2. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 15,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 5,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
76 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Due to the nature of the learning experience and learning outcomes of this course, this course cannot offer re-sit assessment over the summer.
There will be 1-2 practical assignments which will require students to develop or modify cognitive models. Students will also be required to analyse the adequacy of their models with respect to psychological data, and critically evaluate models and ideas presented in course readings (e.g., Marr's three levels of analysis). |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts and methodologies of cognitive modelling, by being able to design simple cognitive models for sample problems
- demonstrate understanding of the relationship between computational models and psychological theories, by being able to critically assess the psychological adequacy of a given model
- qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate computational models of cognition using a range of techniques, when given a model and a set of experimental data that it is supposed to account for
- demonstrate an awareness of the most important computational approaches to cognitive modelling, by being able to use these approaches to formalise theories that are couched in potentially vague and ambiguous terms (e.g., natural language)
- implement and test cognitive models, including existing models from the literature and simple models they have designed themselves
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Reading List
Computational Modeling of Cognition and Behavior
Simon Farrell and Stephen Lewandowsky, Cambridge University Press 2018 |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Francis Mollica
Tel: (0131 6)50 4224
Email: f.mollica@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Rose Hynd
Tel:
Email: rhynd@ed.ac.uk |
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