Uwe Oestermeier

Verbal and visual causal arguments

The present paper analyzes how verbalizations and visualizations can be used to justify and dispute causal claims. The analysis is based on a taxonomy of 27 causal arguments as they appear in ordinary language. It is shown how arguments from spatio-temporal contiguity, covariation, counterfactual necessity, and causal mechanisms, to name only a few, are visualized in persuasive uses of tables, graphs, time series, causal diagrams, drawings, maps, animations, photos, movies, and simulations. The discussion centers on how these visual media limit the argumentative moves of justifying, disputing, and qualifying claims; how they constrain the representation of observational, explanatory, and abstract knowledge in the premises of causal arguments; and how they support and externalize argument-specific inferences, namely generalizations, comparisons, mental simulations, and causal explanations.

Begriffliche und empirische Fragen der Kausalkognition

ZusammenfassungDiese Problemübersicht über die aktuellen philosophischen und psychologischen Debatten der Kausalkognition versucht zu klären, inwieweit traditionelle philosophische Probleme der Begriffsanalyse ein empirisch prüfbares Pendant in der Psychologie besitzen. Im einzelnen werden akzidentelle und kausale Regularitäten, singuläre und generelle Kausalaussagen, apriorische und aposteriorische Konzeptionen der Kausalität diskutiert. Ein Teil der Kontroversen über diese Punkte beruht auf einem reduktionistischen Modell der Begriffsanalyse, das die Komplexität der Kausalkognition auf die Anwendung eines Hauptkriteriums zu reduzieren versucht. Aufgrund dieses ungeeigneten Ansatzes dominieren Immunisierungstendenzen, Abgrenzungsprobleme und Zirkularitätsvorwürfe die aktuellen Debatten. In Umrissen wird eine multikriteriale Konzeption vorgestellt, die diese Probleme vermeidet.SummaryThis survey of the current philosophical and psychological problems of causal cognition examines to which extend traditional philosophical problems of conceptual analysis have empirically testable counterparts in psychology. Accidental and causal regularities, singular and general causal propositions, a priori and a posteriori conceptualizations of causation are discussed. The controversies about these points depend in part on a reductionistic model of conceptual analysis, which tries to reduce the complexity of causal cognition to the application of a single main criterion. As a result of this inappropriate approach, tendencies to immunize theories, problems of differentiation, and charges of circularity are dominating the debates. We outline a multi-criteria approach avoiding these problems.

A Rule-Based Diagnosis System for Identifying Misconceptions in Qualitative Reasoning in the Physical Domain “Superposition of Motion”

An automatic diagnosis system for the assessment of conceptual knowledge with a focus on individual misconceptions was developed. The system is a central component of a computer-based learning environment on the physical domain superposition of motion. The diagnosis system is based on a production system approach and has been implemented as a classifier system. Conceptual knowledge manifesting itself in qualitative reasoning on physical problems concerning superposition of motion is represented by means of qualitative rules, the rules representing changes of physical parameters in qualitative terms. Processes of knowledge acquisition are modelled by means of strengthening and discrimination algorithms. The diagnosis sytem is suitable to generate automatically both the correct solution and incorrect solutions corresponding to the learner’s correct or incorrect qualitative reasoning. It compares these solutions with the learner’s actual solution and thus infers his or her respective conceptual knowledge. The system is able to discriminate between misconceptions resulting in identical problem solutions by means of conflict resolution procedures. To some extent it is also able to cope with ambiguous learner responses and noisy data attributable to unsystematic behavior. The diagnosis system has been implemented in LOOPS and is running on a Xerox 1108 workstation.

Promoting Studies on Conceptual Change

Cognitive research, so far, has not been very successful in uncovering processes of conceptual change. Instructional research, on the other hand, has not been very successful in developing methods for promoting knowledge restructuring. What is needed is systematic research on cognitive and instructional conditions of conceptual change. This article outlines the psychological, instructional and technological features of the generative computer-based learning environment GELERIAT. The environment serves as a tool for promoting research on knowledge restructuring in the physical domain of “superposition of motion”, which is a subdomain of elementary mechanics.

Computer-Based Learning Environment and Automatic Diagnosis System for Superposition of Motion

In the context of a computer-based learning environment on superposition of motion, an automatic diagnosis system on knowledge acquisition and on misconceptions was developed. The learning environment is designed according to the principle of inductive learning. It consists of a sequence of sixty similar tasks increasing in task demand and tutorial measures, involving simulations of the physical phenomenon. The diagnosis system is enabled to generate automatically both the correct solution and incorrect solutions which are based on the learner’s possible misconceptions. It compares these solutions with the learner’s actual solution and thus infers on his or her respective conceptual knowledge. The diagnosis system is rule-based and implemented as a classifier system. It uses both a strengthening algorithm and a discrimination algorithm. Learning environment and diagnosis system are implemented in LOOPS on a Xerox 1108 workstation.

New Media — New Research Initiatives

Two new research programs which are funded by the German Science Foundation are aimed at establishing cognitive media psychology in Germany. The main question of the thematic research program “Net-based Knowledge Communication in Groups” concerns the new forms of communication using net-based technologies and their effective use for the exchange and acquisition of knowledge. Similar questions are posed by the virtual Ph.D. program “Knowledge Acquisition and Exchange with New Media”. In contrast to other Ph.D. programs in German this one is not located at a specific place, but distributed over several research institutions all over the country. This setting enables students to collaborate with other tutors and students at the different locations.SummaryTwo new research programs which are funded by the German Science Foundation are aimed at establishing cognitive media psychology in Germany. The main question of the thematic research program “Net-based Knowledge Communication in Groups” concerns the new forms of communication using net-based technologies and their effective use for the exchange and acquisition of knowledge. Similar questions are posed by the virtual Ph.D. program “Knowledge Acquisition and Exchange with New Media”. In contrast to other Ph.D. programs in German this one is not located at a specific place, but distributed over several research institutions all over the country. This setting enables students to collaborate with other tutors and students at the different locations.ZusammenfassungMit zwei neuen Förderprogrammen der DFG soll versucht werden, eine kognitionspsychologisch orientierte Medienforschung in Deutschland zu verankern. Im Mittelpunkt des Schwerpunktprogramms “Netzbasierte Wissenskommunikation in Gruppen” steht die Frage, wie sich neue Kommunikationsformen, die durch netzbasierte (computergestützte) Technologien möglich werden, für den Austausch und den Erwerb von Wissen in Gruppen effektiv nutzen lassen. Mit einer ähnlichen Fragestellung befasst sich auch das virtuelle Graduiertenkolleg “Wissenserwerb und Wissensaustausch mit neuen Medien”. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Graduiertenkollegs ist es nicht ortsgebunden sondern verteilt über mehrere Forschungsinstitutionen. Es ermöglicht somit eine ortsübergreifende Betreuung und Zusammenarbeit der Kollegiatinnen bzw. Kollegiaten.

Neue Medien, neue Forschungsinitiativen

Two new research programs which are funded by the German Science Foundation are aimed at establishing cognitive media psychology in Germany. The main question of the thematic research program “Net-based Knowledge Communication in Groups” concerns the new forms of communication using net-based technologies and their effective use for the exchange and acquisition of knowledge. Similar questions are posed by the virtual Ph.D. program “Knowledge Acquisition and Exchange with New Media”. In contrast to other Ph.D. programs in German this one is not located at a specific place, but distributed over several research institutions all over the country. This setting enables students to collaborate with other tutors and students at the different locations.SummaryTwo new research programs which are funded by the German Science Foundation are aimed at establishing cognitive media psychology in Germany. The main question of the thematic research program “Net-based Knowledge Communication in Groups” concerns the new forms of communication using net-based technologies and their effective use for the exchange and acquisition of knowledge. Similar questions are posed by the virtual Ph.D. program “Knowledge Acquisition and Exchange with New Media”. In contrast to other Ph.D. programs in German this one is not located at a specific place, but distributed over several research institutions all over the country. This setting enables students to collaborate with other tutors and students at the different locations.ZusammenfassungMit zwei neuen Förderprogrammen der DFG soll versucht werden, eine kognitionspsychologisch orientierte Medienforschung in Deutschland zu verankern. Im Mittelpunkt des Schwerpunktprogramms “Netzbasierte Wissenskommunikation in Gruppen” steht die Frage, wie sich neue Kommunikationsformen, die durch netzbasierte (computergestützte) Technologien möglich werden, für den Austausch und den Erwerb von Wissen in Gruppen effektiv nutzen lassen. Mit einer ähnlichen Fragestellung befasst sich auch das virtuelle Graduiertenkolleg “Wissenserwerb und Wissensaustausch mit neuen Medien”. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Graduiertenkollegs ist es nicht ortsgebunden sondern verteilt über mehrere Forschungsinstitutionen. Es ermöglicht somit eine ortsübergreifende Betreuung und Zusammenarbeit der Kollegiatinnen bzw. Kollegiaten.

Visuelle kausale Argumente

„Dianas Tod wurde von den Paparazzi verursacht, denn wenn die Paparazzi nicht gewesen waren, ware Lady Di nicht gestorben.“ Nach wie vor dominieren vor allem solche sprachlich formulierten Argumente die verschiedenen Massen- und Lemmedien. Sie werden in bildorientierten Medien wie Femsehen, Illustrierten und Intemet jedoch zunehmend durch Visualisierungen erganzt oder ersetzt. Manchen Bildem wird dabei eine erhebliche Beweiskraft zugeschrieben: „Die Paparazzi, die den Wagen [von Lady Di] verfolgt hatten, werden durch ein Foto belastet Es zeigt Dianas Wagen kurz vor dem Ungluck, verfolgt von einem Motorradfahrer.“ (Schwabisches Tagblatt, 11.9.97)

Ein Regel-Basiertes Diagnose-System zur Identifizierung von Fehlkonzepten

Fur ein computergestutztes Lehrprogramm zur physikalischen Bewegungsuberlagerung wurde ein Diagnosesystem entwickelt. Es ermoglicht die automatische Diagnose von korrektem und fehlerhaftem Wissen, das ein Lerner beim Losen physikalischer Probleme zeigt. Zu jeder Problemstellung generiert das System sowohl die richtige Losung, als auch falsche Losungen, die auf moglichen Fehlvorstellungen des Lerners uber den physikalischen Sachverhalt beruhen. Durch den Vergleich dieser Losungen mit dem Losungsergebnis des Lerners schliest das System auf das jeweilige Konzeptwissen des Lerners.