Causal Imprinting in Causal Structure Learning

Autor/inn/en	Taylor, Eric G.; Ahn, Woo-kyoung
Titel	Causal Imprinting in Causal Structure Learning
Quelle	In: Cognitive Psychology, 65 (2012) 3, S.381-413 (33 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0010-0285
DOI	10.1016/j.cogpsych.2012.07.001
Schlagwörter	Evidence; Prior Learning; Bayesian Statistics; Correlation; Observation; Influences; Experiments; Cognitive Processes; Researchers; Learning Processes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Evidenz; Vorkenntnisse; Korrelation; Beobachtung; Influence; Einfluss; Einflussfaktor; Erprobung; Cognitive process; Kognitiver Prozess; Researcher; Forscher; Learning process; Lernprozess
Abstract	Suppose one observes a correlation between two events, B and C, and infers that B causes C. Later one discovers that event A explains away the correlation between B and C. Normatively, one should now dismiss or weaken the belief that B causes C. Nonetheless, participants in the current study who observed a positive contingency between B and C followed by evidence that B and C were independent given A, persisted in believing that B causes C. The authors term this difficulty in revising initially learned causal structures "causal imprinting." Throughout four experiments, causal imprinting was obtained using multiple dependent measures and control conditions. A Bayesian analysis showed that causal imprinting may be normative under some conditions, but causal imprinting also occurred in the current study when it was clearly non-normative. It is suggested that causal imprinting occurs due to the influence of prior knowledge on how reasoners interpret later evidence. Consistent with this view, when participants first viewed the evidence showing that B and C are independent given A, later evidence with only B and C did not lead to the belief that B causes C. (Contains 8 figures and 5 tables.) (As Provided).
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Update	2017/4/10