Cognitive Science

Test 1 / 2003

Modified: 2/12/2003


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.

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. What are the main disciplines which comprise cognitive science? How does each discipline on your list contribute to the overall effort? What concepts link all of these disciplines together? If you had to pick a discipline as being most closely linked to yourself, which would it be and why?
2. How pervasive is the Internet today? How do you know? Give three examples of how individuals or groups are using the Internet in new and unusual ways compared to ten years ago. Finally, suppose a major disruption took place (i.e., cyberterrorism), how would that affect the individuals or groups you described?
3. You are in charge of SAU's public image. Give five ways that you could represent SAU to the public. For each instance provide the domain, content, code, medium, and dynamics of the representation.
4. Discuss the concept of interface. Use the section in the CS pages (http://act9.saumag.edu/faculty/kardas/Courses/CS/topinterfaces.html) about the 10 top interfaces in history as a guide. What is an interface? Why are the 10 instances such good examples of interface. Finally, nominate three more interfaces for inclusion in the list.
5. 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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