PSY BEH 192T Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Franciscus Donders, Developmental Science, Dependent And Independent Variables
12 Oct 2016
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Data without a theory is meaningless, theory wit no data is empty. Ex- observation that kids have a harder time with learning fractions than multiplication. This is interesting generalization but its not explained. Goal- provide a functional description of how information is represented and processed when we perform a task. Give subjects a cognitive task in a controlled lab. Infer the speed and timing of internal processes. Donders first to say that time is a function of internal processes. Break mental tasks into functionally independent cognitive stages. Makes fine distinctions that are not available via accuracy measures. Ex you give a kid arithmetic problems and then measure the time it takes them to do the problem the three kids had different time intervals- they all had their own strategy. Psychologist are often accused of living in their own labs and ignoring a lot of the important contextual factors. Cognitive processes interact with each their and with non-cognitive.
