17 & 18 Intro to Skilled Behaviour

Question 1

Why is thinking so hard?

Answer 1

• Recent evolutionarily: Involves brain frontal lobes, and based on language
• Higher-order cog built on other aspects of cog - integrative nature (of perception, memory and language) makes it hard to study
• Focus on creating new knowledge, rather than extracting knowledge.

Question 2

What are the four different aspects of thinking?

Answer 2

• Decision making: choosing between different options
• Problem solving: choosing way to get to a goal state
• Skill acquisition: getting more efficient at solving a problem over time –> high perf on specific tasks
• Reasoning: Drawing further inferences from current knowledge and beliefs

Question 3

Themes in examining thinking

Answer 3

We are imperfect, we make errors.
Representation is critical.
We use short-cuts (e.g., heuristics).
We use old information in new ways.
We have to deal with uncertainty.

Question 4

Ways of defining an expert

Answer 4

• Superior performance in a domain
• Superior knowledge of a domain
• Peer-defined

Question 5

Different distinctions between expertise and skill?

Answer 5

1. Expertise = highest level of skill

2. Expertise = superior knowledge, Skill = superior performance

Question 6

Procedural vs Declarative knowledge

Answer 6

Procedural = knowing how
Declarative = knowing that
Expertise = high declarative, while skill = high procedural
(may be different means to the same end)

Question 7

What did Rabinowitz and Goldberg (1995) find about the difference between Declarative and Procedural learning?

Answer 7

Procedural learning is domain-specific.
A + 2 = ?
Assigned 432 equations to participants:
- Declarative cond - learnt 12 equations x36
- Procedural cond - learnt 72 equations x6
FOUND:
- D: faster than P, unaffected by size of digit
- P: better transfer to new equations (letter + digit = ?)
Transfer to Subtraction: D > P
- Procedural learning limited to one direction
–> Domain specific

Question 8

What is the relationship between attention and skill?

Answer 8

High skill –> less attn required (proceduralised, automatic)

• less interference from secondary tasks
• less affected by stress (unless attn paid)
• hard to modify

Question 9

Attn and Skill: Ripley (2008): Rescorla and 9/11

Answer 9

Practise –> survived disaster

Question 10

Attn and Skill: Shinar et al. (1998): Driver exp and auto/manual cars

Answer 10

DV: Number of signs detected
FOUND:
Experienced: No effect of type of car
Inexp: Manual –> 13% less signs detected

Conclude: Skill level affects attn

Question 11

What is Proceduralisation?

Answer 11

Declarative knowledge –> Production rules
“IF (this is sitch) THEN (do that)”.
- skill-specific rules
- only execute if conditions are met
Declarative knowledge may coexist with procedural knowledge

Question 12

Composition of Procedures

Answer 12

"Chunking" of procedures: Combining >1 rules into one --> better performance
E.g. IF red light THEN danger
IF danger THEN warn
--> IF red light THEN warn
(Debatable if this happens)