A Core-Affect Model of Decision Making in Simple and Complex Tasks

Othalia Larue, Alexander Hough, Ion Juvina

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

When it comes to decision making, the dominant view suggests that engaging in a detailed analytical thought process is more beneficial than deciding based on one’s feelings. However, there seems to be a tradeoff, as the complexity and amount of elements on which to base the decision increases, decisions based on affect seem to be more accurate than decisions based on a thorough analytical process in specific contexts. In those last cases, an affective modulation of memory may help to make better decisions in complex tasks that exceed human’s limited cognitive capacities. Some dual process accounts, ‘‘deliberation-without-attention’’ hypothesis (Dijksterhuis et al., 2006), oppose a cognitive (i.e., conscious) route to an affective (i.e., unconscious) route. Since most dual process accounts suggest one type of process is better than the other, the interaction and integration of affective and more conscious analytical processes in decision making have been understudied. To address this issue, we propose an explanation of the dynamics and interaction of cognitive (i.e., explicit) and affective (i.e., implicit) encoding and retrieval of elements in memory, using a unified theory based on core affect (Russell, 2003), in the shape of a cognitive model in the ACT-R cognitive architecture.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society
Subtitle of host publicationComputational Foundations of Cognition
PublisherThe Cognitive Science Society
Pages718-723
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9780991196760
StatePublished - 2017
Event39th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society: Computational Foundations of Cognition - London, United Kingdom
Duration: Jul 26 2017Jul 29 2017
Conference number: 39

Conference

Conference39th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society: Computational Foundations of Cognition
Abbreviated titleCogSci 2017
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityLondon
Period7/26/177/29/17

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Keywords

  • ACT-R
  • Core affect
  • decision making
  • dual process theory
  • implicit strategy
  • memory modulation

Disciplines

  • Psychology

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