Abstract
Individuals with depression are prone to engaging in rumination,
a process in which attention turns inwards to narrowlyfocused,
negative patterns of thought, at the cost of attending
to a task. Other core deficits associated with depression
are weaker inhibition of information that is no longer relevant,
and a negative perceptual bias. Here, we present a computational
cognitive model that uses these mechanisms to explain
performance on an n-back task in which the stimuli are faces
with different emotional expressions, and in which depressed
participants exhibit specific impairments. These impairments
are explained by assuming that depressed participants selectively
elaborate on sad items as they are removed from working
memory, and that they have a perceptual bias towards sad
faces. In this way, by specifying a mechanism by which performance
impairments come about, the model helps to provide
a deeper understanding of the cognitive processes underlying
behaviour.
a process in which attention turns inwards to narrowlyfocused,
negative patterns of thought, at the cost of attending
to a task. Other core deficits associated with depression
are weaker inhibition of information that is no longer relevant,
and a negative perceptual bias. Here, we present a computational
cognitive model that uses these mechanisms to explain
performance on an n-back task in which the stimuli are faces
with different emotional expressions, and in which depressed
participants exhibit specific impairments. These impairments
are explained by assuming that depressed participants selectively
elaborate on sad items as they are removed from working
memory, and that they have a perceptual bias towards sad
faces. In this way, by specifying a mechanism by which performance
impairments come about, the model helps to provide
a deeper understanding of the cognitive processes underlying
behaviour.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling |
| Editors | Ion Juvina, Joseph Houpt, Chris Myers |
| Place of Publication | Madison, WI |
| Publisher | University of Wisconsin |
| Pages | 200 |
| Number of pages | 205 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-0-9985082-2-1 |
| Publication status | Published - 21-Jul-2018 |
| Event | International Conference on Cognitive Modeling - University of Madison, Madison, United States Duration: 21-Jul-2018 → 25-Jul-2018 https://www.conftool.com/mathpsych-iccm2018/sessions.php |
Conference
| Conference | International Conference on Cognitive Modeling |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Madison |
| Period | 21/07/2018 → 25/07/2018 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- depression
- Cognitive modeling
- WORKING MEMORY