Methodologies for the Computer Modeling of Human Cognitive Processes

Researchers interested in human cognitive processes have long used computer simulations to try to identify the principles of cognition. The strategy has been to build computational models that embody a set of principles and then the examine how well the models capture human performance in cognitive tasks. Computational modeling has both strengths and weaknesses in its usefulness in facilitating the development of cognitive theories. Perhaps its most important strength is that, in developing mechanistic theories of cognitive processes, it is critical to have a language or formalism for describing dynamic information processing in detail. Developing a working implementation of a model makes it possible both to verify the completeness and internal coherence of its underlying theoretical principles, and to generate detailed, quantitative predictions of the model when tested in novel circumstances. More generally, computational modeling can lead to new theoretical discoveries by providing a means of exploring the implications of a set of ideas or principles.