Expertise effects in memory recall: A reply to Vicente and Wang

This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.In the January 1998 Psychological Review, Vicente and Wang propose a "constraint attunement hypothesis" to explain the large effects of domain expertise upon memory recall observed in a number of task domains. They claim to find serious defects in alternative explanations of these effects which their theory overcomes. Re-examination of the evidence shows that their theory is not novel, but has been anticipated by those they criticize, and that other current published theories of the phenomena do not have the defects Vicente and Wang attribute to them. Vicente and Wang's views reflect underlying differences (a) about emphasis upon performance versus process in psychology, and (b) about how theories and empirical knowledge interact and progress with the development of a science

Proceedings of the 1993 Conference on Intelligent Computer-Aided Training and Virtual Environment Technology

The volume 2 proceedings from the 1993 Conference on Intelligent Computer-Aided Training and Virtual Environment Technology are presented. Topics discussed include intelligent computer assisted training (ICAT) systems architectures, ICAT educational and medical applications, virtual environment (VE) training and assessment, human factors engineering and VE, ICAT theory and natural language processing, ICAT military applications, VE engineering applications, ICAT knowledge acquisition processes and applications, and ICAT aerospace applications

The effect of multiple knowledge sources on learning and teaching

Current paradigms for machine-based learning and teaching tend to perform their task in isolation from a rich context of existing knowledge. In contrast, the research project presented here takes the view that bringing multiple sources of knowledge to bear is of central importance to learning in complex domains. As a consequence teaching must both take advantage of and beware of interactions between new and existing knowledge. The central process which connects learning to its context is reasoning by analogy, a primary concern of this research. In teaching, the connection is provided by the explicit use of a learning model to reason about the choice of teaching actions. In this learning paradigm, new concepts are incrementally refined and integrated into a body of expertise, rather than being evaluated against a static notion of correctness. The domain chosen for this experimentation is that of learning to solve "algebra story problems." A model of acquiring problem solving skills in this domain is described, including: representational structures for background knowledge, a problem solving architecture, learning mechanisms, and the role of analogies in applying existing problem solving abilities to novel problems. Examples of learning are given for representative instances of algebra story problems. After relating our views to the psychological literature, we outline the design of a teaching system. Finally, we insist on the interdependence of learning and teaching and on the synergistic effects of conducting both research efforts in parallel

An exploration of shifts in visual fixation prior to the execution of baseball batting: Evidence for oculomotor warm up, attentional processes or pre-performance routines?

The visual performance of athletes should be considered high on the list of variables fundamental to elite sport performance. One particular aspect of visual performance that has gained dominance over the last 25 years is the quiet eye. Quiet eye is the final visual fixation of long, steady duration prior to the execution of a motor skill. However, as the concept of quiet eye has achieved dominance in the field of motor control, we know increasingly less about the visual behavior that precedes the onset of it. This is especially true for externally-paced interceptive tasks such as baseball hitting. The present study collected data on the visual scene using mobile eye trackers, as experienced by 58 professional baseball players during batting practice. The results suggest that athletes exhibit multiple dynamic shifts in visual fixation prior to the onset of quiet eye and the pitcher's action. Furthermore, cluster analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between the number of shifts in visual fixations and batting average, indicating that this visual skill may contribute to more efficient interception of the ball. The purpose of these dynamic shifts in visual fixation are proposed, alongside a call for further research to develop a deeper understanding of this pre-task visual behavior and its role in sport performance

Getting Inside the Expert's Head:An Analysis of Physician Cognitive Processes During Trauma Resuscitations

Study objective: Crisis resource management skills are integral to leading the resuscitation of a critically ill patient. Despite their importance, crisis resource management skills (and their associated cognitive processes) have traditionally been difficult to study in the real world. The objective of this study was to derive key cognitive processes underpinning expert performance in resuscitation medicine, using a new eye-tracking-based video capture method during clinical cases. Methods: During an 18-month period, a sample of 10 trauma resuscitations led by 4 expert trauma team leaders was analyzed. The physician team leaders were outfitted with mobile eye-tracking glasses for each case. After each resuscitation, participants were debriefed with a modified cognitive task analysis, based on a cued-recall protocol, augmented by viewing their own first-person perspective eye-tracking video from the clinical encounter. Results: Eye-tracking technology was successfully applied as a tool to aid in the qualitative analysis of expert performance in a clinical setting. All participants stated that using these methods helped uncover previously unconscious aspects of their cognition. Overall, 5 major themes were derived from the interviews: logistic awareness, managing uncertainty, visual fixation behaviors, selective attendance to information, and anticipatory behaviors. Conclusion: The novel approach of cognitive task analysis augmented by eye tracking allowed the derivation of 5 unique cognitive processes underpinning expert performance in leading a resuscitation. An understanding of these cognitive processes has the potential to enhance educational methods and to create new assessment modalities of these previously tacit aspects of expertise in this field

Novelty detection and learning drives

This document presents Deliverable 5.1 of the IM-CLeVeR (Intrinsically Motivated Cumulative Learning Versatile Robots) EU FP7 project. It represents one of two deliverables from Workpackage 5 (Novelty Detection and Drives for Autonomous Learning)

The effect of behavioral preferences on skill acquisition in determining unspecified, suitable action patterns to control humanoid robots

This research investigated the effect of behavioral preferences on learning efficiency when attempting to determine unspecified, but suitable action sequences for unfamiliar tasks. The goal of this research was to develop a skill acquisition support system for the elderly to aid them in using unfamiliar IT products, particularly those of welfare systems. Here, behavioral preference is defined as the type of action sequences that people would prefer to adopt for completing unfamiliar tasks. To achieve this goal, this research investigated the action sequences of participants when they attempt to control the posture of an unfamiliar humanoid robot with an unfamiliar controller. The participants were assigned the task of making the humanoid stand on one foot. Machine-learning-based methods were presented for analyzing the behavioral preferences. The analysis results indicate that participants having behavioral preferences of adopting random action sequences can complete the task in a much shorter time, compared to participants having a behavioral preference of adopting action sequences similar to those of previous actions. © 2015 IEEE.37th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2015; MiCo Center, Milano Congressi CenterMilan; Italy; 25 August 2015 through 29 August 2015; Category numberCFP15EMB-ART; Code 11680

The Effect of improvisations and Observations on Standardized Patient Encounters, Subjective Workload and Stress

Standardized patients (SPs) are people trained to present a medical case for teaching and assessing medical students and they simultaneously perform several demanding tasks including portraying the patient, assessing the learner, and providing feedback. This study investigated the effect of improvisations and multiple task performance on the ability to observe another\u27s nonverbal (NV) behaviors and rate their communication skills. Subjective reports of mental workload and stress were also obtained. The first study involved undergraduates interviewing for a job. Type of interview (rote and improvisational) and type of observation (passive and active) were manipulated within groups. Based on theories of attention and working memory, participants were expected to observe the fewest NV behaviors, provide the least accurate ratings, and report the highest levels of mental workload and stress after the active improvisational condition. The results indicated that the ability to observe and assess the interviewer was negatively affected for active observations and during improvisations. Mental workload was high after active improvisational observations and stress was higher after all active observations. The second study was conducted with SPs and followed a similar format with an additional between-subjects variable experience (novice and experienced). The results indicated that both active observations and improvisations negatively influenced only the SPs\u27 ability to observe the learner. The results showed the same pattern found in the first study for the mental workload and stress data. Most importantly, SPs missed over 75% of NV behaviors during active improvisational encounters. In conclusion, theoretical models of attention and working memory were useful for understanding the cognitive challenges faced by SPs. In particular, the SPs had difficulty observing the learner and found it and more mentally demanding when simultaneously assessing the learner and portraying the patient particularly during periods of improvisation

Domain-independent method for developing an integrated engineering design tool

Engineering design is a complex, cognitive process requiring extensive knowledge and experience to be done effectively. Successful design depends on appropriate use of available resources. Competitive design cycles mandate convenient and reliable access to engineering tools and information. An integrated engineering design tool (IEDT) has been developed in response to these demands. Further, the tool development efforts have been made systematic by utilizing the engineering design process, which is shown to be a cognitive activity based on Bloom\u27s taxonomy of cognition. The engineering design process consists of six tasks: establishment of objectives, development of requirements, function analysis, creation of design alternatives, evaluation, and improvements to the design. These tasks are shown to map to the six levels of Bloom\u27s cognitive taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Once engineering design is shown to be a cognitive process it can be employed to make each of the activities required to develop and IEDT, domain investigation, knowledge acquisition, and IEDT design, systematic. Past research has considered these to be largely ad hoc tasks. Application of the engineering design process to each of the three IEDT development tasks is discussed in general terms;A prototype IEDT has been created for the preliminary design of jet transport aircraft wings based on the systematic engineering design approach is used to demonstrate the implementation of the method. The IEDT is embedded in Microsoft Excel 97 with links to other software and executable code. Examples of different implementation strategies are provided. Several wing weight prediction models are included. The incorporation of depth knowledge is done using fuzzy logic. The IEDT is linked to relevant files containing design documentation, parameter information, graphics, drawings, and historical data. The designer has access to trade-off study information and sensitivity analysis and can choose to perform structural analysis or design optimization. The engineer can also consider design issues such as cost analysis. The modular IEDT has been designed to be easily adaptable by design domain experts so that it may continue to be updated and expanded