The Human Mind in the
Digital World
Summary
Lectures, review papers, and in-depth papers
,Learning goals exam
Name, describe, and apply knowledge of relevant cognitive functions in human-media
interaction, and understand new media use on the basis of these cognitive functions.
Understand how new media use and specific design features can affect the human
mind.
Critically assess the quality and validity of theory and research on the interplay
between new media and cognition.
Introduction course
Main questions this course:
1. How does new media use impact cognitive
function? Does sustained ‘use’ change the way
we think?
2. How can we use principles from cognitive
science to inform new media design? What
cognitive functions determine new media use?
, Week 1
Lecture introduction to information processing
, Lecture: Introduction to information processing
History of information processing: behaviorism
Classical conditioning (Pavlov): the idea that human beings work as a response
machine; there is a stimulus and an automatic response that follows. We react to input
in a stereotypical way.
Reinforcement learning (Skinner): if you associate certain stimuli with a reward (or
punishment), you can learn something to animals.
o Experiment: Skinner Box (rat with lights and food dispenser)
o Environmental variables influence/control behavior
Measuring only observable behaviors and events, disregarding what is going on in the
brain itself. However, nowadays, we regard the brain not just as a simple passive conductor of
information, but as actively processing and also predicting information.
Information processing model (input – cognition – output)
Cognitive psychology traditionally considered the individual as a
processor of information, in much the same way that a computer takes in
information and follows a program to produce an output:
A computer codes (changes) information, stores information, uses
information and produces an output.
It is quite similar in the brain: input is delivered via the senses,
transformed to electric neural activity, which is further used,
processed, and stored in the brain.
The output is a behavioral response (e.g., read what you can see on a
printed page).
Information processing model different idea (!!!)
Cummings et al. (2010)
STSS is similar to stimulus.
Digital World
Summary
Lectures, review papers, and in-depth papers
,Learning goals exam
Name, describe, and apply knowledge of relevant cognitive functions in human-media
interaction, and understand new media use on the basis of these cognitive functions.
Understand how new media use and specific design features can affect the human
mind.
Critically assess the quality and validity of theory and research on the interplay
between new media and cognition.
Introduction course
Main questions this course:
1. How does new media use impact cognitive
function? Does sustained ‘use’ change the way
we think?
2. How can we use principles from cognitive
science to inform new media design? What
cognitive functions determine new media use?
, Week 1
Lecture introduction to information processing
, Lecture: Introduction to information processing
History of information processing: behaviorism
Classical conditioning (Pavlov): the idea that human beings work as a response
machine; there is a stimulus and an automatic response that follows. We react to input
in a stereotypical way.
Reinforcement learning (Skinner): if you associate certain stimuli with a reward (or
punishment), you can learn something to animals.
o Experiment: Skinner Box (rat with lights and food dispenser)
o Environmental variables influence/control behavior
Measuring only observable behaviors and events, disregarding what is going on in the
brain itself. However, nowadays, we regard the brain not just as a simple passive conductor of
information, but as actively processing and also predicting information.
Information processing model (input – cognition – output)
Cognitive psychology traditionally considered the individual as a
processor of information, in much the same way that a computer takes in
information and follows a program to produce an output:
A computer codes (changes) information, stores information, uses
information and produces an output.
It is quite similar in the brain: input is delivered via the senses,
transformed to electric neural activity, which is further used,
processed, and stored in the brain.
The output is a behavioral response (e.g., read what you can see on a
printed page).
Information processing model different idea (!!!)
Cummings et al. (2010)
STSS is similar to stimulus.
