The Role of Computational Models in Investigating Typical and Pathological Behaviors

ABSTRACT

The use of computational models to simulate unimpaired human psychological behavior is now fairly common, and use of such models to simulate impaired behavior has also increased. In this article I discuss the relation of computational models to behavioral investigation and to theory, with a view to clarifying what a computational model is, and what its value may be in investigating unimpaired and pathological human psychological behavior.

Computational models - simulation - cognitive behavior - language pathology - multiple determination

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1 It may be worth noting that a mathematical model is a particular type of computational model, in which the behavior of the model can be fully described in terms of an equation or set of equations. This property is not typically true of other types of computational models. There are also certain other typical differences between mathematical and other computational models, but discussion of these is beyond the scope of the present article.