For questions focusing on the interaction of many internal mental processes. If your question involves only one of memory, attention, language, decision-making, or perception then use the associated specialized tag instead of cognitive-psychology.
4
votes
1answer
22 views
Relationship between cognitive load and self-indulgent behavior in simple task completion
Background
A subject in an office-building setting is asked to memorize a list of numbers and to write them down on a whiteboard in another room on the opposite side of the building.
The subject ...
17
votes
4answers
3k views
Does evidence support Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs (shown below) is a popular concept and is often taught in basic psychology courses, and often less objectively taught in Business and Marketing courses.
A common problem ...
7
votes
1answer
72 views
What is a more modern interpretation of the terms egosyntonic/egodystonic?
Egosyntonic thoughts/ideas are those that are consistent with self-image, and egodystonic thoughts are recognized as inconsistent.
For example, in obsessive compulsive disorder, the patient will ...
4
votes
1answer
36 views
Do different meta-cognitive measurements depend on the same mechanism?
There are different meta-cognitive judgments: feeling of knowing, ratings of warmth, confidence, judgments of learning, tip-of-the-tongue or not, insight or not, etc.
Are these judgments based on ...
3
votes
2answers
146 views
Is there an accurate online IQ test for measuring 160+ IQs?
Is there some (preferably free) online and accurate IQ test?
One which does not give me an genius IQ and then tries to sell me a diploma.
I need one which measures upto 160 sd15 (or higher). Such a ...
4
votes
1answer
132 views
Can we increase our higher order thinking (HOT) skills by practicing inductive reasoning?
I previously asked about the conceptual links between higher order thinking and inductive reasoning. This question focuses on the potential for improving higher order thinking through practicing ...
6
votes
1answer
94 views
How well can a human-generated “random number” be predicted?
For example, if i ask an individual to write a 20-number-long sequence of random numbers from 0 to 10. How well can I predict the 20th number from the initial 19?
More generally,
How well can ...
1
vote
0answers
27 views
How can schemas be applied to website design?
If a "schema is a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information. Schemas can be useful because they allow us to take shortcuts in interpreting the vast amount of ...
6
votes
0answers
49 views
Name of the bias where someone really needs something after they find out it exists
I'm looking for the name of the cognitive bias that is expressed in the following story.
A fellow coworker was instrumental in getting a 75 gallon fish tank installed in the lobby of the company that ...
12
votes
2answers
417 views
Effect of words highlighting on reading comprehension
I'm interested if there are studies dealing with text understanding and POS (part of speech) coloring, or coloring syntactic/semantic information. The studies should solve the questions like:
Which ...
4
votes
1answer
47 views
Why different responses to target and distractor in three-stimulus oddball procedure?
In the three-stimulus oddball procedure, there is an infrequent target in a background of frequently occurring standard stimuli and infrequently occurring distracter stimuli. My question is, since the ...
2
votes
2answers
52 views
How to analyse 3 by 3 design with Likert scale ratings?
I want to understand what would be the best way to analyze the results of an online likert-scale ratings of pictures on 3 dimensions. I have 3 groups of participants from different countries. They are ...
9
votes
3answers
126 views
Is there any recent work on modeling how we rapidly acquire new knowledge?
I work with neural network models of human cognition a lot, and one thing that bugs me about them is the timescale: they learn over thousands of trials whereas humans seem to learn after a couple ...
-1
votes
0answers
43 views
Exercises to improve focus over exteneded periods of time [closed]
What are some good mental/physical exercises I can do to able to stay focussed on work for an extended period of time?
The area I am trying to improve on in getting my work done faster than I do ...
4
votes
0answers
34 views
Predicting the landing site of a saccade while the saccade is still in progress
A brief look through the literature didn't reveal any algorithms that have been directly applied to the online prediction of saccade landing sites while a saccade is in progress.
While there would ...
5
votes
0answers
91 views
Aesthetic preference for even or odd numbers
In my experience most people prefer the appearance of even numbers or numbers divisible by 5.
Is there any research which proves or disproves my theory?
Is it all about symmetry?
I expect that ...
2
votes
1answer
66 views
Any studies on lack of imagination and creativity?
Is there a formal scientific term for this type of personality?:
Main priorities are: family, phsyical and financial protection of the family and self. (Little to no creativity. Strong desire to ...
8
votes
3answers
199 views
Math or Physics: Which is the more relevant background to enter Cognitive Sciences and Psychology? [closed]
What would be a more suitable background to enter cognitive sciences, mathematical psychology, and study of emotions? I have the option of taking a Integrated Masters Degree in Mathematical Sciences, ...
-2
votes
1answer
84 views
Are there “6 degrees of separation” for ideas?
Sites like linkedin.com are built on the idea that you can be related to any person in the world though around 6 people. One person knows another one, that one another one, and in the end you are ...
9
votes
2answers
156 views
Do people estimate combined probabilities differently to uncombined ones?
Suppose, somebody has to estimate the likelihood of one of the following events (or has to estimate which event is more likely):
A coin is tossed six times and each time the result is heads. ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
What is the conceptual relationship between higher order thinking and inductive reasoning?
Higher order thinking seems like a larger construct than inductive reasoning but the constructs also seem related.
What is the connection between inductive reasoning and higher order thinking?
Is ...
4
votes
1answer
92 views
Is metacognition an affective, cognitive, or behavioural variable?
Is metacognition an affect or cognitive or behaviour variable ?
I want to study variation in metacognition and working memory ability level and its effect on inductive reasoning.
Therefore i am ...
7
votes
3answers
194 views
What psychological factors account for code readability?
Readability is often intuitively synthesized. If you see some piece of code, you just know whether it is readable or not. But what are actual psychological, scientific explanations for this?
There ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Is actively trying to create insight inducing conditions effective in generating insights?
Kounios and Beeman (2009) show that many insight solutions come when one is in a relaxed state. Furthermore, positive mood helps with insight solutions.
But practically speaking, is it wise to try ...
1
vote
0answers
34 views
Short term time perception affect long term time perception?
It is known that attending to time (i.e. looking at duration) expands subjective time. So if I want to do something for 20 minutes and look at my watch, this would increase my subjective time ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Deception and nose touching - does it work for things that are about to be said in prepared speeches?
I'm not sure if nose touching is a scientifically-validated signature of deception or internal conflict. For the purposes of this question I would assume that it's fairly common knowledge in ...
6
votes
0answers
32 views
Are there any rules about masking?
I am currently programming an experiment where participants have to do a divided visual field task. In a paper about the correct methodology about these tasks, it is said that you should use a ...
8
votes
1answer
224 views
What are the current suggested models for Primacy Effect in memory recall or personality impression?
What are the current suggested normative, mechanistic or phenomenological models for explaining primacy effect as was observed by Solomon Asch (1946) on personality impression, list-of-words memory ...
6
votes
1answer
112 views
What is the effect of mindfulness practice on cognition?
The following article by ScienceDaily reported on a paper in Psychological Science (Mrazek et al., 2013), claiming that mindfulness training led to improved working memory and GRE scores. These ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Why is recognition easier than recall?
The main ways of memory retrieval are recognition and recall.
Why has it been found that recognition is "easier" to perform, meaning it is usually faster or is more likely to yield an accurate ...
6
votes
1answer
55 views
Any research on how we use visual category information in visuomotor tasks?
So I've been reading up on the Two-streams Hypothesis*, and it bothers me that the explanations both sides give only extend to tasks involving one type of visual information. For example, an ...
0
votes
0answers
61 views
Subtle manipulation in commercials - Kindle Fire HD [closed]
I was watching the new kindle commercial and I noticed a few things that seemed to make me lean towards the NEW Kindle Fire HD (They emphasize "new" a lot)
One of the things that stood out to me the ...
7
votes
1answer
116 views
Any attempts at testing or modeling the 'cognitive conception' of language?
For those unfamiliar, the 'cognitive conception of language' refers to a claim made by some theorists that, in the words of Carruthers:
"besides its obvious communicative functions, language also ...
-1
votes
1answer
85 views
Most common cognitive biases?
I'm a amateur student of cognitive biases and psychological traps and have been reading some of the work of Kahneman, Tversky, Gilovich et al along with more popular books like Cialdini's "Influence." ...
6
votes
3answers
242 views
How can one find out if he/she is brainwashed?
By brainwashed I mean indoctrinated with some political, religious or other type of propaganda.
I assume that you can't be aware of this, because the lack of that awareness is the point of propaganda ...
1
vote
3answers
114 views
Is fear rational? [closed]
Let's suppose a big ugly monster thingy wants to eat you. While you're running away from it, you're feeling fear. Can this situation be considered one where fear would be rational?
3
votes
0answers
49 views
Test-retest reliability of Iowa gambling task performance and Expectancy Valence Model parameters
I've just been learning about the Expectancy Valence Model of the Iowa Gambling Task (see Busemeyer & Stout, 2002; Yechiam et al 2005). The model includes three parameters: motivation, ...
9
votes
1answer
129 views
Predicting how long a task will take
As a software engineer I have always struggled with predicting how long a project would take by underestimating and I have noticed that all of my colleagues have the same problem.
In this video at ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
What positive writing exercises improve happiness?
Writing seems like a perfect medium for expressing ones problems but can it also be used to improve happiness somehow? Maybe through some sort of creative writing exercises that focus on positive ...
4
votes
1answer
142 views
What happens in your brain when a concept “clicks”?
What happens in your mind when the "lightbulb goes off", or a concept "clicks" for you? Why is there such a threshold for human understanding?
Existing searches:
I've searched a good amount for it. ...
6
votes
2answers
108 views
What is the sleep study that showed that a percentage of humans have a biological clock that is ~28 hours or greater?
There was an article published some years ago about a sleep study (I think from Germany) that showed about 10-20% of people (European's I think) are genetically predisposed to function on a 30-hour* ...
3
votes
1answer
95 views
Dyslexia and IQ
Background Information of my questions:
At the age of eight I was "diagnosed" with Dyslexia, I am now 47. I went from not being able to read and barely able to write to a college reading level in 9 ...
0
votes
2answers
76 views
Categorization studies with a procedure similar to Shepard et al (1961) and Medin & Schaffer (1978)
I am looking for performance results from categorization studies with discrete stimulus features and reinforcement feedback. I need something like this:
...
13
votes
1answer
45k views
How valid is Lumosity's Brain Performance Index and what normative information is available?
Background
There is a test called Lumosity's Brain Performance Index.
A sample profile of scores might be:
...
1
vote
3answers
193 views
Why do drivers not slow down when they see signs indicating road work?
I found the following anecdote on Quora
Many years ago, I worked for a gas & electric power company, and had
been a member of a crew installing a road-side gas main. Despite the
signs, ...
4
votes
1answer
46 views
How can the aversion response be explained neurologically?
If Dopamine and Dopamine D2 receptor is involved in craving, wanting and clinging towards something or incentive salience
Dopamine is closely associated with reward-seeking behaviors, such as
...
3
votes
0answers
60 views
Definition of Affective Cueing
In contrast to Affective Priming, what is Affective Cueing? I'm not sure how to differentiate between the two.
I found a good review on affective priming in Karl Christoph Klauer (1997) in the ...
4
votes
1answer
239 views
Effect of Physical Exercise on Intelligence/IQ
I am interested in empirical research relevant to answering the following questions:
What is the effect of physical exercise on IQ/intelligence?
Does any such effect vary by type of exercise? e.g. ...
2
votes
2answers
193 views
Improving Speed of Thinking
What are some ways one can improve his/her speed of thinking and reasoning ? I am looking for some easy to follow strategies that can be systematically applied. (I am presuming it can be learnt/ ...
4
votes
0answers
41 views
Quantify degree to which non-diagnostic features bias category-present response
I need a measure of the degree to which each of several features biases participants to respond "yes" in a category present / absent task for each of several categories.
I have stimuli defined along ...
