Cognitive Task

A Cognitive Task is an intelligence task that requires relatively advanced cognitive dexterity.

• AKA: Cognition-Requiring Task, Conceptual Task, Mental Task.
• Context:
  • Input: Mental State
    • optional: task parameters
    • optional: cognitive constraints
  • Output: Modified Mental State
  • Measure: Cognition Performance Measure
  • ...
  • It can (typically) require Mental Processing
  • It can (typically) involve Cognitive Functions
  • It can (typically) produce Mental Outputs
  • It can (often) contain Learning Tasks
  • It can (often) include Reasoning Tasks
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Routine Cognitive Task to being a Complex Cognitive Task, depending on its cognitive complexity
  • It can range from being a Human-Performed Cognitive Task to being an AI-Performed Task, depending on its execution agent
  • It can range from being an Information-Processing Task to being a Decision-Making Task, depending on its task type
  • It can range from being a Simple Mental Task to being a Complex Mental Task, depending on its mental demand
  • ...
  • It can be solved by a Cognitive System (such as a knowledge worker or artificial intelligence)
  • It can be instantiated in a Cognitive Act
  • It can maintain Mental State (for tracking)
  • It can produce Cognitive Results (for evaluation)
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Analysis Tasks, such as:
    • Problem Solving Tasks for software engineering
    • Pattern Recognition Tasks for visual analysis
    • Data Analysis Tasks for information understanding
    • ...
  • Synthesis Tasks, such as:
    • Creative Design Tasks for solution generation
    • Content Creation Tasks for knowledge production
    • Planning Tasks for strategy development
    • ...
  • Recognition Tasks, such as:
    • Facial Recognition Tasks which are simple for most humans
    • Speech Recognition Tasks for audio processing
    • Pattern Recognition Tasks for data analysis
    • ...
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Simple Repetitive Tasks, which lack cognitive complexity
  • Physical Tasks, such as walking tasks, which require motor skills
  • Mechanical Tasks, which follow fixed procedures
• See: Mentally-Disabled Human, Automation Task, Intelligence Task, Mental Process.

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References

2009

• (Charness & Boot, 2009) ⇒ Neil Charness, and Walter R Boot. (2009). “Aging and Information Technology Use Potential and Barriers.” In: Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(5).
  • QUOTE: Why are older adults reluctant to adopt new technology, such as the Internet, given its potential to improve the quality of their lives? We review evidence indicating that attitudes and abilities are among the most powerful predictors of technology use. We conclude that normative age-related changes in ability must be taken into account when designing products and training programs for aging adults, and we discuss new tools to support designers. The most promising emerging technologies likely lie in training cognitive abilities and augmenting or substituting for impaired abilities.

2003

• (Levy et al., 2003) ⇒ David H. Autor, Frank Levy, and Richard J Murnane. (2003). “The Skill Content of Recent Technological Change: An Empirical Exploration.” In: The Quarterly Journal of Economics. doi:10.1162/003355303322552801
  • QUOTE: We apply an understanding of what computers do to study how computerization alters job skill demands. We argue that computer capital (1) substitutes for workers in performing cognitive and manual tasks that can be accomplished by following explicit rules; and (2) complements workers in performing nonroutine problem-solving and complex communications tasks.

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