Predicting and Explaining Human Semantic Search in a Cognitive Model

Recent work has attempted to characterize the structure of semantic memory and the search algorithms which, together, best approximate human patterns of search revealed in a semantic fluency task. There are a number of models that seek to capture semantic search processes over networks, but they vary in the cognitive plausibility of their implementation. Existing work has also neglected to consider the constraints that the incremental process of language acquisition must place on the structure of semantic memory. Here we present a model that incrementally updates a semantic network, with limited computational steps, and replicates many patterns found in human semantic fluency using a simple random walk. We also perform thorough analyses showing that a combination of both structural and semantic features are correlated with human performance patterns.Comment: To appear in proceedings for CMCL 201

THE EFFECT OF MEDIA LITERACY ON THE SOCIAL IDENTITY OF VOLLEYBALL SPECTATORS THROUGH PERSONAL IDENTITY

This research aim was investigating the effect of media literacy on volleyball spectator's social identity through personal identity. The present study, psychologically, is divided in to 8 layers of view paradigm, the main type of applied research: deductive research approaches, quantity research strategies theories, field research tone, cross sectional survey methods, research objectives, description and finally data collection methods, library resource reviews, and questionnaires. The statistical society consisted of premier league volleyball spectators from Iran. Number of samples consisted on 342 members, in terms of Cochran formula. To collect data, Chang et al media literacy questionnaire (2011), Safarnia & Roshan social identity (2011) and Bordbar personal identity (2012) were used. Content validity was used for questionnaires and their stability was evaluated through Cronbach's alpha. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for media literacy variable (.894), social identity (.824) and personal identity (.801) were resulted. For research findings analysis, structural equation modeling was used. The results showed that media literacy is indirectly effective on social volleyball spectator's identity, and also cleared that personal identity has an effective and positive influence on social identity. Media literacy is one of the most effective regulatory and identity strategies that affects effectively and positively.   Article visualizations

How algorithmic popularity bias hinders or promotes quality

Algorithms that favor popular items are used to help us select among many choices, from engaging articles on a social media news feed to songs and books that others have purchased, and from top-raked search engine results to highly-cited scientific papers. The goal of these algorithms is to identify high-quality items such as reliable news, beautiful movies, prestigious information sources, and important discoveries --- in short, high-quality content should rank at the top. Prior work has shown that choosing what is popular may amplify random fluctuations and ultimately lead to sub-optimal rankings. Nonetheless, it is often assumed that recommending what is popular will help high-quality content "bubble up" in practice. Here we identify the conditions in which popularity may be a viable proxy for quality content by studying a simple model of cultural market endowed with an intrinsic notion of quality. A parameter representing the cognitive cost of exploration controls the critical trade-off between quality and popularity. We find a regime of intermediate exploration cost where an optimal balance exists, such that choosing what is popular actually promotes high-quality items to the top. Outside of these limits, however, popularity bias is more likely to hinder quality. These findings clarify the effects of algorithmic popularity bias on quality outcomes, and may inform the design of more principled mechanisms for techno-social cultural markets