Topic 3: Cognitive Aspects Flashcards
What is cognition?
Thinking, remembering, learning, decision-making, reading, seeing, …
What are the two different categories of cognition?
Experimental (intuitively/effortlessly) vs. reflective (involves mental effort) cognition (Norman, 1993)
Fast vs. slow thinking (Kahneman, 2011)
How can understand cognition help?
Provides knowledge about what users can and cannot be expected to do
+ provides theories, modeling tools or guidance on how to design better interactive products
What are the cognitive processes? (hint: 6 processes)
- Attention
- Perception
- Memory
- Learning
- Reading, speaking, and listening
- Problem-solving, planning, reasoning and decision making
Is learning or problem-solving independent from other cognitive processes?
No - E.g. learning process also needs attention, perception, memory + reading, speaking or listening
What is attention?
Selecting things on which to concentrate –> lets us focus on information that is relevant
–> focused and divided attention
What are design recommendations to enable better attention processes?
Make information salient when it needs to be paid attention to
Use techniques for this: color ordering, spacing, flashing lights (Lecture example: Hotel/Motel Overview –> spacing S. 2+3)
Avoid cluttering interfaces with too much information
For what and why is spacing useful?
For what: To enable a better attention process
Why: - information is grouped into categories
Is it possible to perform multiple tasks without one or more being affected?
Multitasking can cause people to lose their train of thought, make errors, and need to start over
How prone are heavy or light multitaskers to distraction?
Heavy multitaskers are more prone to being distracted, are easily distracted + find it difficult to filter irrelevant information (if distracting info is useful to task it can support the performance)
Is it okay to use your phone while driving?
No - driving needs a lot of attention & drivers are prone to being distracted (longer reaction times) + drivers using their phone rely more on expectations, not on what is actually happening
Are hands-free phones safer?
No - same cognitive processing happens + remote person is not aware of current situation and can distract the driver
What is perception?
the way how information is acquired from the environment via five senses and transformed into experiences
What are the five senses?
Vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch (and kinesthesia)
What are design implications regarding perception?
- Icons should enable readily distinguishing
- border & spacing are effective ways of grouping info
- sounds should be audible and distinguishable
- interfaces should use proper color contrast (S.6)
- haptic feedback should be used judiciously
–> Things should be READILY perceivable (Text size, easy distinguishable)
Lecture example: took people less time to locate items for information that was grouped (S.4+5)
What is memory?
- Recalling various kinds of knowledge
- involves filtering and processing what is attended (don’t remember everything)
- includes process of fist encoding and then retrieving knowledge
- for recalling (remembering) the context is important
- humans recognize things better than being able to recall
- immediate memory capacity is limited to 7+-2 chunks
How is the memory working?
Memories are reconstructed.
- memory models
- association, vivid images, and coding activities (paper SMR & RPT)
Are subject to hindsight errors (Rückschaufehler)
- See events that already occurred as being more predictable
Explain the memory model by Atkinson & Shiffrin
Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) - Slide 7
1.) external input goes through sensory registration (5 senses) + part of external input is lost
2.) registered input gets into short-term storage (STS) + part is lost
3.) long-term storage (LTS)) + part is decades and loss of strength in LTS occurs
1.) –> 3.) is also possible, but often input goes through STS
Explain the memory model by Baddeley & Hitch
Baddeley & Hitch (1974) - Slide 8
Describes working memory (short-term memory)
consists of 3 main components:
- Central Executive (supervisory system): controls the flow of info (control and regulation of cognitive processes incl. focus direction)
- Visuo-Spatial Sketch Pad (slave system): stores visuo-spatial data
- Phonological Loop (slave system): stores verbal content
(Slide 8)
later: in 2000, the episodic buffer was added to the model
- episodic buffer (slave system): links information across domains to form integrated units incl. time sequencing
(Slide 9)
Explain the processing in memorizing
First encoding
the more attention is paid & processed –> more likely to be remembered
Recognition vs. recall - implications for interface design
command-based interface: requires user to recall from memory
graphical interface: users need only to browse/scan until they recognize item they look for (7+-2 not applicable as nothing has to be remembered) (S.10)
Digital memory aids
Reduce memory load: password manager
digital forgetting - e.g. when braking up
SenseCam - takes constantly photos of surrounding –> improves memory from people with dementia
Design implication for the memory
- reduce cognitive load (avoid long & complicated producers)
- recognition rather than recall for interfaces
- provide various ways for digital labeling information for easier identification (folders, categories, flags…)
What is learning?
Accumulation of skills and knowledge involving the memory
