Three case studies in the Bayesian analysis of cognitive models.
Bayesian statistical inference offers a principled and comprehensive approach for relating psychological models to data. This article presents Bayesian analyses of three influential psychological models: multidimensional scaling models of stimulus representation, the generalized context model of category learning, and a signal detection theory model of decision making. In each case, the model is recast as a probabilistic graphical model and is evaluated in relation to a previously considered data set. In each case, it is shown that Bayesian inference is able to provide answers to important theoretical and empirical questions easily and coherently. The generality of the Bayesian approach and its potential for the understanding of models and data in psychology are discussed.
Lee
Michael D
MD
Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-5100, USA. mdlee@uci.edu
D001288:Attention; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D015982:Bias; D003071:Cognition; D003118:Color Perception; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003657:Decision Making; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011340:Problem Solving; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D012858:Size Perception