Search results for "Folk Psychology"
showing 7 items of 7 documents
Folk theories of algorithmic operations during Internet use: A mixed methods study
2021
We used the folk theory perspective to investigate Internet users’ understanding of algorithms during their Internet use. Empirically, we conducted a mixed-method study. First, we carried out semi-...
Inferences are just folk psychology
2004
To speak of “inferences,” “interpretations,” and so forth is just folk psychology. It creates new homunculi, and it is also implausible from a purely phenomenological perspective. Phenomenal volition must be described in the conceptual framework of an empirically plausible theory of mental representation. It is a non sequitur to conclude from dissociability that the functional properties determining phenomenal volition never make a causal contribution. I have offered an alternative interpretation of some of Dan Wegner’s most relevant data elsewhere (Metzinger 2003, p. 506ff), and will confine myself to three conceptual points here. Wegner’s project could be further strengthened by eliminati…
Perceived Importance of Neuroscientific Terms in Experimental Explanations. A Folk Psychology Pilot Study
2015
A very well known set of experiments by Weisberg et al. Weisberg (2007) has shown that possible explanations of psychological phenomena by naïve subjects are rated as more satisfying when they contain neuroscientific information, even if such information is completely irrelevant to the phenomenon examined.
The intentional stance as structure learning: a computational perspective on mindreading
2015
Recent theories of mindreading explain the recognition of action, intention, and belief of other agents in terms of generative architectures that model the causal relations between observables (e.g., observed movements) and their hidden causes (e.g., action goals and beliefs). Two kinds of probabilistic generative schemes have been proposed in cognitive science and robotics that link to a "theory theory" and "simulation theory" of mindreading, respectively. The former compares perceived actions to optimal plans derived from rationality principles and conceptual theories of others' minds. The latter reuses one's own internal (inverse and forward) models for action execution to perform a look…
Quine and the Contemporary Debate on Mindreading
2012
Abstract The paper examines some of the questions emerging from the debate on mindreading regarding Quine’s legacy and contribution to a new agenda on the issue. Since mindreading is an exercise in folk-psychology, a) which role folk psychology has to play according to Quine? b) was Quine’s account of mindreading closer to theory-theory, simulation theory or hybrid theory? c) was Quine a rationality theorist? d) are hybrid-theory and rationality theory incompatible as many would suggest? On the score of the answers to these questions, the paper tries to suggest a Quinean inspired blend of rationality-based and hybrid view-based strategies to explain mindreading.
Direzione normativa e teoria della mente
2015
Normative guidance is a way of influencing others’ behaviour which operates through the mind (through mental states and processes such as norm understanding, normative reasoning, belief in norm’s validity, choice to follow it, etc.). Knowledge of the relevant aspects of the mind has therefore a clear importance in order to improve normative guidance (increase its efficacy, rationalize it, moralize it, etc.). But the study of the relationship between mind and normativity is a too wide field, impossible to explore in its entirety: selection criteria are needed. In this article I propose some contributions to their elaboration. First, I point out the “phenomenon of normativity” (meant as the c…
User Psychology in Interaction Design: The Role of Design Ontologies
2008
In the various forms of interaction design, it is essential to analyze, understand, and predict human behavior. This is equally true with devices such as information systems that are meant to interact with people. The importance of these problems has inspired scientists to develop numerous approaches to investigate and explicate human actions. However, they have mainly been characterized by intuitive and folk psychological approaches to the human mentality in interaction. To improve the scientific foundations of design, we present here a psychology-based approach to collecting user knowledge, as well as a related design practice. The former can be called user psychology and the latter the a…