Cognitive Science

Test 1 / 2004

Modified: 2/12/2004


Instructions: Due before 2:00 p.m., Thursday, February 19.

Use the CS main page and e-mail sent to you as the source for your answers. You may submit your answers as hard copy or as e-mail (either as straight e-mail or as a Word attachment). Choose the method with which you are more comfortable. Be sure your answers are complete.

Answers should be legible (i.e., not hand written), complete, thoughtful, and articulate. You may consult with me via e-mail as you develop your answers (probably a good strategy). Shoot for at least one page per question and do not simply copy and paste answers. Use quotes to indicate sources you found elsewhere and provide URLs or references where appropriate. Failure to properly cite sources may lead to a grade of zero for that item!


1. Define Cognitive Science. Be sure your definition is complete and covers both how cognitive science came to be and what it is now.
2. What is an interface. Give five examples and explain how each fills the definition of an interface.
3. Representation is a core concept in cognitive science. Using the five aspects of representation discussed in class: domain, content, code, medium, and dynamics, represent yourself. You may provide five examples or combine aspects. Finally, represent the number 25 (oops!, there's one way) three other ways.
4. What is an algorithm? What is a heuristic? Give an example of each. Which is more important to human behavior? Why?

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