Cognitive Symmetries as Bases for Anticipation:

In studying human cognition, it is now broadly approved that the study of cognitive biases is indispensable. Among many cognitive biases proposed, we focus on two symmetrical biases: symmetry and mutual exclusivity bias. Implementing the two biases in a probabilistic framework on covariation information, we test our loosely symmetric (LS) model in word learning tasks, in comparison with the ordinary conditional probability and the totally symmetric/biased probability. LS is shown to break a trade-off in the three tasks. It is argued t hat LS is a model of development in the sense of Vygotsky, where top-down/deductive and bottom-up/inductive processes crisscross.