Tag

Cognitive Science

All articles tagged with #cognitive science

technology16 days ago•10 min saved

New AI Study Suggests 'Human-Like' Cognition May Be Just Pattern Matching

A new evaluation of the Centaur AI—a system once touted to simulate human cognition across 160 tasks—suggests its performance may come from memorized training patterns rather than genuine understanding. When researchers simplified prompts to generic instructions like “Please choose option A,” Centaur still produced the dataset’s seemingly correct answers, indicating reliance on pattern recognition rather than true comprehension. The study highlights the need for rigorous, multi-faceted testing to distinguish real cognitive ability from statistical matching in AI models, underscoring ongoing challenges in defining and measuring true AI cognition.

via SciTechDaily|

#ai-evaluation #artificial-intelligence #centaur

cognitive-science21 days ago•29 min saved

Timing Takes Center Stage: A New Rule for Pavlovian Learning

A Nature Neuroscience study in mice shows that learning rate scales with the time between rewards, not the number of cue–reward pairings, meaning total learning in a fixed period depends on timing. Dopamine signals tracked this time-based rule across appetitive and aversive conditioning, challenging traditional trial-based models and suggesting broader implications for biology and AI.

via PsyPost|

#cognitive-science #dopamine #neuroscience

cognitive-science1 month ago•27 min saved

Your workouts may prime your brain chemistry, not just your muscles

A 12-week aerobic training program in sedentary adults increased the acute release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) after hard workouts and altered activity in the prefrontal cortex during attention and inhibition tasks. While participants improved their cardiovascular endurance and showed brain signaling changes linked to efficiency, there was no significant improvement in cognitive test scores. The study highlights a potential mechanism by which fitness supports brain function, though it relies on small sample size and maximum-exertion exercise, with serum vs plasma measurements providing different perspectives on BDNF delivery.

via psypost.org|

#aerobic-training #bdnf #cognitive-function

cognitive-science1 month ago•27 min saved

Wisdom steers creativity toward prosocial action, study finds

A PsyPost study across two large samples finds wisdom acts as a moral regulator for creativity: in low-wisdom individuals, higher creativity predicted lower willingness to help others, while high-wisdom individuals showed creativity linked with greater social mindfulness and prosocial tendencies; results suggest wisdom is key to steering creativity toward socially constructive ends, with intelligence showing less alignment.

via PsyPost|

#cognitive-science #creativity #moral-psychology

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Intelligence Emerges from Coordinated Whole-Brain Networks

Researchers propose the Network Neuroscience Theory: general intelligence arises from system-wide coordination across distributed brain networks rather than a single region. Analyzing data from 831 adults in the Human Connectome Project and 145 in the INSIGHT SHARP study, the team found that intelligence reflects how efficiently and flexibly networks communicate, relying on long-distance integration via hubs and a balance between local specialization and global integration. No one network explains intelligence; rather, system-wide coordination underpins flexible cognition, with implications for aging, brain injury, development, and biologically inspired AI.

via ScienceDaily|

#brain-connectivity #cognitive-science #intelligence

cognitive-science1 month ago•27 min saved

Smart men less tied to traditional politics, study finds

A long-running German study of gifted (IQ 130+) and non-gifted adults shows they largely share the same political views, with one gender-based exception: non-gifted men score higher on conservatism than gifted men, while women show no difference. The results support cognitive-flexibility and centering ideas, suggesting high intelligence does not predict radical politics, though the study’s small sample and Germany-specific context limit generalizability.

via PsyPost|

#cognitive-flexibility #cognitive-science #conservatism

cognitive-science1 month ago•25 min saved

Smart minds may misread mental health tests

Two large US datasets show standard mental health surveys may mismeasure distress in highly intelligent people because the questions do not function the same across IQ levels (a lack of measurement invariance). An initial nonlinear pattern suggested mental health improves with intelligence up to a point before declining, but advanced analyses indicate the test items lose diagnostic power at high IQ, casting doubt on conclusions about the mental health of the gifted and underscoring the need for assessments designed for highly intelligent individuals.

via PsyPost|

#cognitive-science #depression-scales #giftedness

cognitive-science2 months ago•18 min saved

Scent-based cognitive boost: a complex essential oil blend improves memory in a small trial

A 90-participant double-blind study found inhaling a Genius essential oil blend (patchouli, neroli, grapefruit, cardamom, frankincense, spikenard, rosemary, lemongrass) improved memory and executive-function performance in healthy adults compared with no aroma and sage oil controls, while also increasing brain metabolism during demanding tasks as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. However, the metabolic increase did not directly explain the performance gains; participants also reported higher alertness and less fatigue. Delivery via a diffuser introduced variability in dosage, and the study assessed only acute, single-session effects. The findings suggest essential-oil aromas can offer small, safe, complementary cognitive benefits but are not a medical treatment; standardizing delivery and testing long-term effects are needed.

via PsyPost|

#aroma #brain-metabolism #cognitive-enhancement

science2 months ago•7 min saved

Language May Be Built from Simple Linear Blocks, Not Deep Grammar, Study Finds

A Nature Human Behaviour study argues the mind may represent language with flat, linear building blocks rather than complex hierarchical grammar. Experiments (eye-tracking and phone conversations) show common word-class sequences can be primed, including nonconstituent phrases like “in the middle of the,” suggesting language uses simpler patterns than traditionally believed and that the gap between human language and animal communication could be smaller than thought.

via SciTechDaily|

#cognitive-science #grammar #language

science3 months ago•6 min saved

Confident Gestures Can't Hide Speech Disfluencies

Research shows that speech disfluencies like 'ums' and corrections significantly reduce perceived speaker knowledge, while hand gestures, whether iconic or beat, do not influence this perception, which is primarily driven by verbal fluency.

via PsyPost|

#cognitive-science #communication-cues #hand-gestures

science5 months ago•8 min saved

Study Explains Why Time Feels Faster as We Age

A study using fMRI scans of people watching an Alfred Hitchcock show suggests that as we age, our brains experience fewer and longer-lasting neural states, which may contribute to the perception that time passes more quickly in older adults. This neural dedifferentiation could make it harder to distinguish between events, influencing our subjective experience of time.

via Live Science|

#brain-aging #cognitive-science #fmri

science7 months ago•4 min saved

Hyperthymesia: The Memory Superpower of Remembering Everything

A rare case study of a 17-year-old girl with hyperthymesia reveals her exceptional ability to vividly recall and organize personal memories with control, using mental 'rooms' for different themes and emotions, and highlights the overlap between remembering and imagining future events, offering insights into cognition and potential therapeutic approaches.

via Earth.com|

#autobiographical-memory #cognitive-science #hyperthymesia

science1 year ago•2 min saved

Why We Struggle to Judge Knot Strength Accurately

A study by Johns Hopkins University researchers reveals that people struggle to judge the strength of knots, highlighting a potential "blind spot" in our physical reasoning. Despite knots being a common part of daily life, participants in the study failed to accurately assess knot strength, even with visual aids. The research suggests that understanding soft objects like string or rope may be more challenging than solid ones, and that expertise in knot-tying, such as that of sailors or mountaineers, might improve judgment.

via Gizmodo|

#cognitive-science #intuition #johns-hopkins-university

science1 year ago•3 min saved

The Knot Conundrum: Why We Misjudge Knot Strength

A study by Johns Hopkins University reveals that people struggle to visually assess the strength of knots, despite their familiarity with them. Participants consistently failed to identify the strongest knot among similar ones, even when shown videos or diagrams. This suggests a blind spot in our intuitive physical reasoning, as we cannot easily discern the internal structure of non-rigid objects like knots. The research highlights the complexity of understanding knot strength and suggests that expertise, such as that of sailors, might improve performance.

via Phys.org|

#cognitive-science #intuitive-physics #johns-hopkins-university

science1 year ago•3 min saved

The Knot Conundrum: Why We Misjudge Knot Strength

A study by Johns Hopkins University reveals that despite our familiarity with knots, most people struggle to visually determine the strength of different knots. Participants consistently failed to identify the strongest knot, even when shown videos or diagrams. This suggests a blind spot in our physical reasoning, as we cannot intuitively assess the internal structure of non-rigid objects like knots. The research highlights the complexity of intuitive physics and our limitations in understanding the physical properties of certain objects.

via EurekAlert|

#cognitive-science #intuitive-physics #johns-hopkins-university