Cognition and Cognition and PerceptionPerception

A Compilation by Vida Dehnad A Compilation by Vida Dehnad , , 2013 2013

Food for thought Food for thought What is cognition ?What is cognition ? What is perception?What is perception? Do we have the same contents of Do we have the same contents of mind cross-culturally?mind cross-culturally? Do humans have the same information –processing Do humans have the same information –processing

strategies across the globe?strategies across the globe? Can we Can we establish common grounds of understanding establish common grounds of understanding

globally ?globally ? Do you defendDo you defend relativism relativism in the studies of cognition and in the studies of cognition and

perception ?perception ?

Two “pro –universalistic” stances in the Two “pro –universalistic” stances in the study of cognition in 20study of cognition in 20thth cent. cent.

Behaviorism & Learning theorists in early Behaviorism & Learning theorists in early experimental psychology / deficit model experimental psychology / deficit model

““Universality of cognition” or “psychic universality” as a result of biology research effect on psychological Universality of cognition” or “psychic universality” as a result of biology research effect on psychological research (mainly starting from 1988 to mid 20research (mainly starting from 1988 to mid 20thth century ). century ).

- use of analogy to find shared species-wide characteristics- use of analogy to find shared species-wide characteristics - mental mechanisms not only applied to all humans , but to animals - mental mechanisms not only applied to all humans , but to animals - cross- culturally the same rules- cross- culturally the same rules

► ► Cognitivists (from mid 20Cognitivists (from mid 20thth century /CPD model / century /CPD model / -- rejected animalistic behaviorism , but still held the same rejected animalistic behaviorism , but still held the same “ “universalistic position”universalistic position”- Analogy between human mind & computer : brain as hardware & cognitive procedures as softwareAnalogy between human mind & computer : brain as hardware & cognitive procedures as software- given different inputs across cultures we will have different outputs (behaviors , beliefs ) , but we still have the given different inputs across cultures we will have different outputs (behaviors , beliefs ) , but we still have the

same underlying architecture of mind every where. same underlying architecture of mind every where.

Richard Shweder 1991 observed that 20Richard Shweder 1991 observed that 20th-th- century stances century stances mainly concur with the idea of "autonomousmainly concur with the idea of "autonomous ccentral entral

pprocessing rocessing ddevice “, something like evice “, something like CPU CPU

CPD in this view transcends ecology and socio-cultural CPD in this view transcends ecology and socio-cultural contexts; the processor is always the same contexts; the processor is always the same

The three major theoretical positions of psychology The three major theoretical positions of psychology & social sciences against universalistic stance & social sciences against universalistic stance

The first challenge brought fourth by Wilhelm Wundt The first challenge brought fourth by Wilhelm Wundt , the , the founder of experimental psychology / founder of experimental psychology / folk psychology folk psychology later later known as cultural psychology (1916) known as cultural psychology (1916)

higher cognitive processes are affected by cultural practices higher cognitive processes are affected by cultural practices When culture and history diverge , cognitive processes diverge as well When culture and history diverge , cognitive processes diverge as well

The second challenge The second challenge by Russian School Of Lev Vygotsky by Russian School Of Lev Vygotsky (1978) (1978) & & Alexander Alexander Luria (1971) ; Luria (1971) ; and in West by Michael Cole (1996)& his and in West by Michael Cole (1996)& his colleagues colleagues

The tenets of Vygotsky’s thoughtsThe tenets of Vygotsky’s thoughts Human cognition develops in a cultural context Human cognition develops in a cultural context Cultural context is an accumulated pattern of symbolic & non-symbolic Cultural context is an accumulated pattern of symbolic & non-symbolic

tools in the historical existence of a grouptools in the historical existence of a group Diverging historical trajectories , practices & tools result in different Diverging historical trajectories , practices & tools result in different

cognitive tendenciescognitive tendencies

► ► The third influential idea challenging cognitive universality The third influential idea challenging cognitive universality was proposed by Benjamin was proposed by Benjamin Lee Whorf Lee Whorf (1956) known as (1956) known as linguistic relativity linguistic relativity

The idea here is that the language people speak affects thought The idea here is that the language people speak affects thought processesprocesses

When linguistic conventions vary , thought processes vary as wellWhen linguistic conventions vary , thought processes vary as well

Have Genetic Mutations endowed Have Genetic Mutations endowed Humans with such higher cognitive Humans with such higher cognitive abilities in the process of evolution ?abilities in the process of evolution ?

Human cognition is culturally dependent in ways that other primate Human cognition is culturally dependent in ways that other primate cognition is notcognition is not

Cultural transmission allows both genetic & social transference of Cultural transmission allows both genetic & social transference of learning mechanismslearning mechanisms

So “culture is greatly important since only the “ process of genetic So “culture is greatly important since only the “ process of genetic variation “ & “natural selection “ have not led to these higher-order variation “ & “natural selection “ have not led to these higher-order cognitive abilities in humans with this speed cognitive abilities in humans with this speed

Knowing that some people don’t have Knowing that some people don’t have any word for any word for greengreen, do you think they , do you think they perceive perceive greengreen the the samesame way we do way we do ??

Linguistic relativityLinguistic relativity– Whorfian hypothesisWhorfian hypothesis

ColorsColors ( experiment with hunter -gatherer people of Papua ( experiment with hunter -gatherer people of Papua new Guinea with five basic colors & English Speakers with new Guinea with five basic colors & English Speakers with foci of 8 colors --result-- foci of 8 colors --result-- poorer memory /sensitivity poorer memory /sensitivity of of hunter-gatherers …less vocabulary items for colors )hunter-gatherers …less vocabulary items for colors )

NumbersNumbers

Language and Color PerceptionLanguage and Color Perception

New researches have been exploring whether color terms affect perception of colors.

Categorical perceptions of Categorical perceptions of colorscolors

Do structural differences between two languages affect the way children learn to count ?

Do linguistic differences affect numerical reasoning ? - - Chinese children found it easier to count the second decade (10-Chinese children found it easier to count the second decade (10-

20) where the base 10 is first learned compared to English children.20) where the base 10 is first learned compared to English children.

Much of numeric cognition is the result of cultural Much of numeric cognition is the result of cultural invention invention - for the most part, people have- for the most part, people have some degree of innate math some degree of innate math abilitiesabilities , but most abilities emerge as a result of cultural learning. , but most abilities emerge as a result of cultural learning.

Some cultures do not have number terms beyond 2. For example, the Some cultures do not have number terms beyond 2. For example, the PirahaPiraha from Amazon have number terms that only correspond to 1, 2, and many.from Amazon have number terms that only correspond to 1, 2, and many.

What happens when the What happens when the PirahaPiraha are asked to count beyond 3? (see Gordon are asked to count beyond 3? (see Gordon¹¹, , 2004). They were confused ! / had great difficulty matching an array of items 2004). They were confused ! / had great difficulty matching an array of items more than three more than three

¹¹Gordon, P. (2004). Numerical cognition without words: Evidence from Amazonia. Gordon, P. (2004). Numerical cognition without words: Evidence from Amazonia. Science, 306, 496–499.Science, 306, 496–499.

The larger the numbers they were asked to represent, the greater The larger the numbers they were asked to represent, the greater their errors were, however, they had some general sense of their errors were, however, they had some general sense of approximate quantities.approximate quantities.

• There are still questions about whether these There are still questions about whether these indigenous tribes indigenous tribes cannot represent numbers because they don’t have related number cannot represent numbers because they don’t have related number terms (a Whorfian argument) or because they lack sufficient cultural terms (a Whorfian argument) or because they lack sufficient cultural learning.learning.

linguistic differences affect spatial , temporal reasoninglinguistic differences affect spatial , temporal reasoning- Chinese think Chinese think verticallyvertically about time while English speakers think about time while English speakers think

horizontallyhorizontally

- Alfred Bloom Alfred Bloom experiment about counterfactual , subjunctive –mood statements : some languages have more such structures

- Human cognition is influenced by- Linguistics structures , Social &

cultural structures

Deductive reasoning versus Deductive reasoning versus concrete reasoning concrete reasoning

Preference for concrete reasoning / knowledge is in Preference for concrete reasoning / knowledge is in traditional and sometimes non-literate societies traditional and sometimes non-literate societies

Societies affected by industrialization more favor Societies affected by industrialization more favor formal logic (deductive thinking ) formal logic (deductive thinking )

- - theoretical sciencetheoretical science - adversarial debate - adversarial debate Formalization of knowledgeFormalization of knowledge

Cultural differences in perception Cultural differences in perception carpentered world hypothesis / carpentered world hypothesis / the degree to the degree to

which the environment is carpentered which the environment is carpentered

Pictures borrowed from the following websites Pictures borrowed from the following websites

www.proprofs.com http://ling.yale.edu/history/benjamin-lee-whorf www.thisisnotthat.com https://aims.uchicago.edu/page/1993-richard-shweder www.vygotskydocumentary.com http://blogs.transparent.com/language-news/2015/03/18/how-language-cha

nges-our-perception-of-color/– https://www.um.ac.ir/

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/sze-muelue/index.htmlhttp://www.michaelbach.de/ot/sze-muelue/index.html http://www. tehranpress.comhttp://www. tehranpress.com http://www.http://www.nikoodel.comnikoodel.com www.quora.comwww.quora.com www.ihoosh.irwww.ihoosh.ir