Why are Formal Models Useful in Psychology?

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dc.contributor.authorHintzman, Douglas L.
dc.date.accessioned2017-08-01T16:49:20Z
dc.date.available2017-08-01T16:49:20Z
dc.date.issued1990
dc.description18 pagesen_US
dc.description.abstractThis chapter explores the value of formal (mathematical and computer) models in psychology. Research on factors that have been shown to bias and limit unaided human reasoning is briefly reviewed, and it is noted that psychologists are susceptible to these errors, just as their subjects are. Characteristics of formal models are discussed in relation to such errors, in an effort to identify the ways in which models can and cannot aid scientific thought. Some limitations of the modeling approach are also discussed. It is argued that because psychological models greatly oversimplify the domains to which they are applied, model evaluation is a complex matter. The measure of a model's value lies not in its ability to fit data, but in how much we can learn from it.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by grant BNS-87-11218, from the National Science Foundation.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/22548
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherInstitute of Cognitive and Decision Sciences, University of Oregonen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesTechnical Report;90_10
dc.rightsCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USen_US
dc.titleWhy are Formal Models Useful in Psychology?en_US
dc.typeTechnical Reporten_US

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