ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cognitive modeling

Hey there, kiddo! Are you curious about cognitive modeling? Well, let me explain it to you in a way that you can easily understand.

So, what is cognitive modeling? It's a way of creating computer programs that are meant to mimic the way our brains work when we think, learn, remember, and solve problems. Think of it like creating a toy robot that acts like a human brain!

These computer programs use mathematical and scientific concepts to simulate how we process information in our brains. It's like when you play a video game where the characters have to make decisions based on the information they have. The computer program does this too - it takes in information, processes it, and makes decisions based on that information.

Cognitive modeling can help us study how humans think and learn. By creating a computer program that mimics human thinking, researchers can better understand how we process information and why we make certain decisions.

For example, let's say we want to study how kids solve math problems. We can create a cognitive model that represents a child's thinking process. The computer program would take in different math problems and try to solve them the same way a child would. Researchers could observe the program and figure out why certain strategies work better than others in solving math problems.

In short, cognitive modeling is a way for scientists to study how we think, learn, and remember by creating computer programs that simulate the way our brains work. Pretty cool, huh?