Uncovering the processes underlying human category learning. There is a pervasive belief that complex tasks can somehow be learned via a 'smart' implicit or procedural learning mechanism, which operates independently of memory and attention. This idea has important implications for our understanding of cognition. If true, there seems little point in providing explicit instruction in such tasks, and efforts to do so are, at best, wasted time and, at worst, detrimental to the learning process. Th ....Uncovering the processes underlying human category learning. There is a pervasive belief that complex tasks can somehow be learned via a 'smart' implicit or procedural learning mechanism, which operates independently of memory and attention. This idea has important implications for our understanding of cognition. If true, there seems little point in providing explicit instruction in such tasks, and efforts to do so are, at best, wasted time and, at worst, detrimental to the learning process. This project will provide much-needed scrutiny of this idea and will help not only to re-orient our understanding of how we deal with complex information, but will also highlight issues about data interpretation that are fundamental for the research and wider communities.Read moreRead less
The effect of temperature biofeedback on sleep and cardiac autonomic tone in young and aged adults. Peripheral heat loss is reported to promote sleep onset. To date, however, most studies examining the thermoregulatory model of sleep onset have used sedative-hypnotics with both thermoregulatory and soporific effects. We propose that a better test of a causal relationship between peripheral heat loss and sleep can be achieved by using temperature biofeedback; a promising non-invasive and non-dr ....The effect of temperature biofeedback on sleep and cardiac autonomic tone in young and aged adults. Peripheral heat loss is reported to promote sleep onset. To date, however, most studies examining the thermoregulatory model of sleep onset have used sedative-hypnotics with both thermoregulatory and soporific effects. We propose that a better test of a causal relationship between peripheral heat loss and sleep can be achieved by using temperature biofeedback; a promising non-invasive and non-drug treatment that does not have a direct effect on sleep structures. We aim to test whether increased peripheral heat loss promotes sleep onset, whether the effects are mediated by changes in autonomic tone, and whether this relationship changes with age.Read moreRead less
Speed of Information Processing Across the Ages: the Structure of Cognitive Abilities in Children, Adults, and the Elderly. Does speed information processing determine intelligence? The study addresses this question by examining the structure of cognitive abilities and speed of processing in children, adults, and the elderly. The project will advance theory by testing whether speed of processing mediates developmental cognitive change during childhood and old age. Outcomes include contributing t ....Speed of Information Processing Across the Ages: the Structure of Cognitive Abilities in Children, Adults, and the Elderly. Does speed information processing determine intelligence? The study addresses this question by examining the structure of cognitive abilities and speed of processing in children, adults, and the elderly. The project will advance theory by testing whether speed of processing mediates developmental cognitive change during childhood and old age. Outcomes include contributing to a complete model of cognition, laying the foundations for a future major longitudinal study which will provide evidence on the direction of causality between speed of processing measures and cognitive abilities, and provide norms for a computerised, commercial test battery.Read moreRead less
Are two processes one too many? An investigation of the viability of the dual-process model of recognition memory. Memory is the glue that holds together our lives and personal identities. While psychologists are developing better and more sophisticated accounts of how it works, many deep questions remain. The present research examines some of these questions in relation to how memory can be decomposed into its component processes and how we are to understand these processes. An appropriate unde ....Are two processes one too many? An investigation of the viability of the dual-process model of recognition memory. Memory is the glue that holds together our lives and personal identities. While psychologists are developing better and more sophisticated accounts of how it works, many deep questions remain. The present research examines some of these questions in relation to how memory can be decomposed into its component processes and how we are to understand these processes. An appropriate understanding of these questions is vital to the development of interventions (both psychological and pharmacological) designed to halt or even reverse memory decline associated with normal aging and age-associated brain disease (such as Alzheimer disease).Read moreRead less
Developing a generative transformational theory of visual perception. This project will develop and test a generative, transformational computer model of visual perception, based on fractal encoding. This uses a powerful similarity metric to select transformations, that, when applied to image elements, generate a replica of the image. The model can detect and analyse structure in regular and semi-regular images, even when embedded in noise. This approach provides an explanation for several perce ....Developing a generative transformational theory of visual perception. This project will develop and test a generative, transformational computer model of visual perception, based on fractal encoding. This uses a powerful similarity metric to select transformations, that, when applied to image elements, generate a replica of the image. The model can detect and analyse structure in regular and semi-regular images, even when embedded in noise. This approach provides an explanation for several perceptual phenomena and illusions. It can reconcile opposed theories of perception and provide a unifying perspective on perception and cognition. Practical applications include the automatic recognition of objects in imagery and the detection of structure in complex data.Read moreRead less
Evaluating models of category learning that use general feature-based representations. Three competing models of human category learning will be evaluated by comparing their behaviour to human performance on an experimental task where each model makes qualitatively different predictions. A series of theoretical and algorithmic advances will be undertaken to ensure each of the category learning models uses the same feature-based representation. Because the three models propose very different lear ....Evaluating models of category learning that use general feature-based representations. Three competing models of human category learning will be evaluated by comparing their behaviour to human performance on an experimental task where each model makes qualitatively different predictions. A series of theoretical and algorithmic advances will be undertaken to ensure each of the category learning models uses the same feature-based representation. Because the three models propose very different learning processes, their comparison will give insight into the basic cognitive process of categorisation. The algorithms for generating feature representations and modelling human category learning will also have potential for application in data visualisation and information handling systems.Read moreRead less
Developing an integrative theoretical account of some basic mechanisms and limiting factors in human perception and cognition. The principal factors limiting cognitive performance are widely considered to be information processing speed, working memory capacity, and the effective control of cognitive processes. The proposed programme aims to develop and test a unifying theory relating these to two of the most basic achievements of the brain - discrimination and identification. This will help us ....Developing an integrative theoretical account of some basic mechanisms and limiting factors in human perception and cognition. The principal factors limiting cognitive performance are widely considered to be information processing speed, working memory capacity, and the effective control of cognitive processes. The proposed programme aims to develop and test a unifying theory relating these to two of the most basic achievements of the brain - discrimination and identification. This will help us to understand the underlying basis of differences and changes in cognitive performance. The outcomes have implications for the design, analysis and interpretation of studies of perception, judgement, memory and intelligence. The research also has applied relevance to neuropsychology, information handling and the design of system interfaces.Read moreRead less
The distortion of eyewitness identification testimony. A fair and efficient criminal justice system is important. This project will contribute to the continually expanding knowledge base required for improving the collection and use of eyewitness identification testimony. Ultimately, the adoption of principles suggested by this knowledge base will improve the validity and probative value of eyewitness evidence. This will advance the already significant contribution that Australian psychological ....The distortion of eyewitness identification testimony. A fair and efficient criminal justice system is important. This project will contribute to the continually expanding knowledge base required for improving the collection and use of eyewitness identification testimony. Ultimately, the adoption of principles suggested by this knowledge base will improve the validity and probative value of eyewitness evidence. This will advance the already significant contribution that Australian psychological science is providing for the administration of criminal justice. Read moreRead less
The dynamics of witness confidence effects on juror judgments. While psychologists and criminal justice professionals concur that eyewitness confidence is one of the major influences on juror judgments, previous researchers' treatment of confidence as an invariant testimonial characteristic means that we actually know little about the impact of witness confidence. This research tests social persuasion theories and reveals the dynamic effects on juror judgments and verdicts of the sort of confide ....The dynamics of witness confidence effects on juror judgments. While psychologists and criminal justice professionals concur that eyewitness confidence is one of the major influences on juror judgments, previous researchers' treatment of confidence as an invariant testimonial characteristic means that we actually know little about the impact of witness confidence. This research tests social persuasion theories and reveals the dynamic effects on juror judgments and verdicts of the sort of confidence fluctuations that characterise real witnesses. Knowing how such fluctuations will shape jurors' judgments is vital for judges (when instructing jurors) and for police and lawyers when they assess the likely impact of the witnesses they intend to call.Read moreRead less
Hierarchical Bayesian Models for Human Conceptual Learning. This project seeks to understand the nature of human conceptual learning. With the shift to an information-based economy, it becomes important to understand what assumptions a real-world learning system should make. Even given the impressive growth of machine learning and artificial intelligence, the human mind remains the most successful example of such a system. In this light, the scientific study of human conceptual structure present ....Hierarchical Bayesian Models for Human Conceptual Learning. This project seeks to understand the nature of human conceptual learning. With the shift to an information-based economy, it becomes important to understand what assumptions a real-world learning system should make. Even given the impressive growth of machine learning and artificial intelligence, the human mind remains the most successful example of such a system. In this light, the scientific study of human conceptual structure presents the opportunity to discover how an intelligent thinking system should operate. In addition, many important problems facing an information economy involve being able to understand how people behave. An understanding of the concepts people use is central to this endeavour.Read moreRead less