Expectations and Interpretations during Causal Learning

Autor/inn/en	Luhmann, Christian C.; Ahn, Woo-kyoung
Titel	Expectations and Interpretations during Causal Learning
Quelle	In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 37 (2011) 3, S.568-587 (20 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0278-7393
DOI	10.1037/a0022970
Schlagwörter	Undergraduate Students; Causal Models; Learning; Influences; Bayesian Statistics; Data Interpretation; Expectation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Kausalanalyse; Lernen; Influence; Einfluss; Einflussfaktor; Data evaluation; Datenauswertung; Expectancy; Erwartung
Abstract	In existing models of causal induction, 4 types of covariation information (i.e., presence/absence of an event followed by presence/absence of another event) always exert identical influences on causal strength judgments (e.g., joint presence of events always suggests a generative causal relationship). In contrast, we suggest that, due to expectations developed during causal learning, learners give varied interpretations to covariation information as it is encountered and that these interpretations influence the resulting causal beliefs. In Experiments 1A-1C, participants' interpretations of observations during a causal learning task were dynamic, expectation based, and, furthermore, strongly tied to subsequent causal judgments. Experiment 2 demonstrated that adding trials of joint absence or joint presence of events, whose roles have been traditionally interpreted as increasing causal strengths, could result in decreased overall causal judgments and that adding trials where one event occurs in the absence of another, whose roles have been traditionally interpreted as decreasing causal strengths, could result in increased overall causal judgments. We discuss implications for traditional models of causal learning and how a more top-down approach (e.g., Bayesian) would be more compatible with the current findings. (Contains 13 figures, 4 tables and 7 footnotes.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10