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A new cognitive model of long-term memory for intentions
Thor Grünbaum1, Franziska Oren2, Søren Kyllingsbæk2
1Section of Philosophy, University of Copenhagen, Karen Blixens Plads 8, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark; CoInAct Research Group, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, DK-1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Cognition
|June 25, 2021
Summary
This study introduces a mathematical model for retrieving intentions from long-term memory, proposing a novel approach to understand memory
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Computational Neuroscience
- Mathematical Psychology
Background:
- Temporally extended agency relies on remembering intentions, with two dominant psychological theories: Working Memory (WM) and Long-Term Memory (LTM) conceptions.
- The WM conception emphasizes intention maintenance in active memory, while the LTM conception focuses on stored intention representations.
- These differing conceptions predict distinct cognitive processing profiles for intention retrieval.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel mathematical model for the memory mechanisms underlying the Long-Term Memory (LTM) conception of intention retrieval.
- To model intention retrieval as a stochastic race among potentially relevant intentions stored in long-term memory.
- To propose a new experimental paradigm for empirically testing the WM versus LTM conceptions of memory in temporally extended agency.
Main Methods:
- Development of a formal mathematical model simulating intention retrieval from long-term memory.
- Modeling retrieval as a stochastic race process involving multiple stored intentions.
- Design of a novel experimental paradigm to differentiate between Working Memory and Long-Term Memory accounts.
Main Results:
- A formal mathematical model is presented, conceptualizing intention retrieval as a competitive stochastic process.
- The model provides a framework for understanding how intentions are stored and retrieved from long-term memory.
- The proposed experimental paradigm offers a method to empirically validate the model and distinguish between competing memory theories.
Conclusions:
- The proposed mathematical model offers a new perspective on the Long-Term Memory (LTM) conception of intention retrieval.
- The stochastic race model provides a testable framework for understanding memory's role in planning and executing future actions.
- Empirical testing is crucial to determine whether LTM or WM provides a better explanation for memory's function in temporally extended agency.
Keywords:
IntentionLong-term memoryMathematical cognitive modelProspective memoryTask switchingTask-setTemporally extended agencyMore Related Videos
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