The Cognitive Perspective in Information Science Research Anthony Hughes Kristina Spurgin

Cognition “Illumynyd she is wyth clere cognycyoun In hyr soule” - Osbern Bokenham Seyntys, 1447 (L.154) Cognition  The understanding, acquisition, and processing of knowledge, or, more loosely, thought processes.

Cognitive Science Cognitive science  Kinds of knowledge underlying cognition  Details of cognitive processing  Computational modeling of these processes Computers + Psychology + Linguistics = Cognitive Science!

General Topic Areas in Cognitive Science Perception Thinking Learning Knowledge representation Language

Perception Stimuli  simple perceptual objects Matching of simple perceptual objects to stored representations of objects Visual processing and imagery Applications in LIS: Human Computer Interaction

Thinking Reasoning Problem solving Decision-making Applications in LIS: Information seeking Relevance judgments Information literacy training Think-aloud research methods

Learning Machine and human learning Psychology and representations of learning Memory  Encoding and retrieval Applications in LIS: Information retrieval User studies Bibliographic instruction and reference work

Knowledge Representation Methods by which information is stored in the mind for later use Understanding, designing, and implementing representations of information in computers Applications in LIS: Taxonomy Thesauri Classification schemes Ontologies

Language The relationship between language and cognition Rules of language and their processing  Syntax, semantics, and pragmatics Language acquisition and comprehension Applications in LIS: Natural Language Processing Latent semantic indexing Controlled vocabulary development Information extraction

Measures of Cognition - Quantitative Cognitive ability  Absolute judgments of stimuli Cognitive style  Embedded Figures Test (field dependence vs. field independence)  Cognitive Styles Analysis (holistic vs. analytical cognitive style)  Cognitive Style Index (intuitive vs. analytic cognitive style)

Measures of Cognition - Quantitative Cognitive space  Stimulus pairing Linguistic Spatial

Measures of Cognition - Qualitative Concept mapping Think-aloud or verbal protocol Card sorting Free-listing

Readings TheoryResearch IngwersenToddKim & Allen Cognitive & Information Science as it was applied in the readings:

Cognitive and Task Influences on Web Searching Behavior (Kim & Allen)  Independent Variables (across both studies) Cognitive style (field dependence vs. independence) Problem solving ability/style Search engine used Cognitive ability (perceptual speed, spatial scanning, logical reasoning Task  Dependent Variables (across both studies) Search performance/outcome (precision/recall) Search activities (mouseclicks, links followed etc…)  Findings (across both studies) Task had main interaction effect across studies Cognitive ability and problem solving style interacted with task effect to influence search activity  Questions: Do you agree with the way cognitive science measures were applied in this study? If task if main determinent, how do we design systems that support breadth of searchers and their tasks?

Back to our beginnings…(R. Todd) Information utilization  acting/doing  thinking/acting/doing Cognitive + Behavioral change  Measurement Instrumental + symbolic Conceptual: “…what is happening in people’s minds when they do something with information.” Bertram Brookes  K[S] + ∆I = K[S + ∆S] Study  Change in knowledge states regarding heroin Initial knowledge map Exposure to information Successive mapping and exposure Findings  Complete picture / changed picture / clearer picture / verified picture / position in picture Questions  Is this empirical research?  Can we hope to measure cognitive change?

Cognitive Information Retrieval (Ingwersen, P.)  See Figure  Questions Where does cognitive science fit within this picture?  What does it have to add? Is the holistic cognitive view of IR a theory? Where does the role of affect or emotion fit within this theory?

UserIntermediarySystem Individual view of IR cognition Holistic view of IR cognition HumanHuman or System Communication through information processing Cognitive Free Fall ASK Label-Effect User’s cognitive space Problem / Situation Socio-organization environment Task User’s cognitive space Intermediary Cogntition Interface Functionality Algorithms System Structure s Representations Information objects Information Need Polyrepresentatio n Feedback Query Expansion Work Task

From: Wilson, T.D. (1999) Models of Information Behaviour Research. Journal of Documentation, vol.55(3) pg Model of Ingwersen’s IR process