Human Computer Interaction
Lecture 3
The Human
Long-Term Memory (LTM)
• Repository for all our knowledge
– slow access
– slow decay, if any
– huge or unlimited capacity (debatable)
• Two types
– episodic – serial memory of events
– semantic – structured memory of facts, concepts, skills
semantic LTM derived from episodic LTM
Long-term memory (cont.)
• Semantic memory structure
– provides access to information
– represents relationships between bits of information
– supports inference(drawing a conclusion)
• Model: semantic network
– inheritance – child nodes inherit properties of parent
nodes
– Semantic Network supports inference through inheritance
LTM - semantic network
Models of LTM - Frames
• Information organized in data structures
• Slots in structure instantiated with values for instance of
data
• Type–subtype relationships
DOG COLLIE
Fixed Fixed
legs: 4 kind of: DOG
type: sheepdog
Default
diet: carnivorous Default
sound: bark size: 65 cm
Variable Variable
size: colour
colour
Models of LTM - Scripts
Model of conventional information required to interpret situation.
Script has elements that can be instantiated with values for context
Script for a visit to the vet
Entry conditions: dog ill Roles: vet examines
vet open diagnoses
owner has money treats
owner brings dog in
Result: dog better
pays
owner poorer
takes dog out
vet richer
Scenes: arriving at reception
Props: examination table
waiting in room
medicine
examination
instruments
paying
Tracks: dog needs medicine
dog needs operation
Models of LTM - Production rules
Representation of procedural knowledge.
Condition/action rules
if condition is matched
then use rule to determine action.
IF dog is wagging tail
THEN pat dog
IF dog is growling
THEN run away
LTM - Forgetting
Decay:
– information is lost gradually but very slowly
Interference:
– New memory interferes with recall of a old memory (retroactive
interference)
– Old memory interferes with recall of newer memories (proactive
interference)
… affected by emotion
LTM - retrieval
Recall:
– information reproduced from memory can be assisted by
cues, e.g. Categories
Recognition:
– information gives knowledge that it has been seen before
– less complex than recall - information is cue
Thinking
Reasoning:
Deduction, Induction, Abduction
Deductive Reasoning
• Deduction:
– derive logically necessary conclusion from given premises.
e.g. If it is Friday then she will go to work
It is Friday
Therefore she will go to work.
• Logical conclusion not necessarily true:
e.g. If it is raining then the ground is dry
It is raining
Therefore the ground is dry
Inductive Reasoning
• Induction:
– generalize from cases seen to cases unseen
e.g. all elephants we have seen have trunks
therefore all elephants have trunks.
• Unreliable:
– can only prove false not true
… but useful!
Abductive reasoning
• reasoning from event to cause
e.g. Asim drives fast when he is angry.
If I see Asim driving fast, assume he is angry.
• Unreliable:
– can lead to false explanations
Errors and mental models
Types of error
• slips
– right intention, but failed to do it right
– causes: poor physical skill, inattention etc.
• mistakes
– wrong intention
– cause: incorrect understanding
humans create mental models to explain behaviour.
if wrong (different from actual system) errors can occur
Individual differences
• Long term
– gender, physical and intellectual abilities
• Short term
– effect of stress or fatigue
• Changing
– age
These differences should be taken into account into our
designs.
At extremes a decision may exclude a section of the user
population. E.g. Visually impaired
