Mathematical Psychology

This project investigates mathematical psychology's historical and philosophical foundations to clarify its distinguishing characteristics and relationships to adjacent fields. Through gathering primary sources, histories, and interviews with researchers, author Prof. Colin Allen - University of Pittsburgh [1, 2, 3] and his students  Osman Attah, Brendan Fleig-Goldstein, Mara McGuire, and Dzintra Ullis have identified three central questions: 

  1. What makes the use of mathematics in mathematical psychology reasonably effective, in contrast to other sciences like physics-inspired mathematical biology or symbolic cognitive science? 
  2. How does the mathematical approach in mathematical psychology differ from other branches of psychology, like psychophysics and psychometrics? 
  3. What is the appropriate relationship of mathematical psychology to cognitive science, given diverging perspectives on aligning with this field? 

Preliminary findings emphasize data-driven modeling, skepticism of cognitive science alignments, and early reliance on computation. They will further probe the interplay with cognitive neuroscience and contrast rational-analysis approaches. By elucidating the motivating perspectives and objectives of different eras in mathematical psychology's development, they aim to understand its past and inform constructive dialogue on its philosophical foundations and future directions. This project intends to provide a conceptual roadmap for the field through integrated history and philosophy of science.



The Project: Integrating History and Philosophy of Mathematical Psychology



This project aims to integrate historical and philosophical perspectives to elucidate the foundations of mathematical psychology. As Norwood Hanson stated, history without philosophy is blind, while philosophy without history is empty. The goal is to find a middle ground between the contextual focus of history and the conceptual focus of philosophy.


The team acknowledges that all historical accounts are imperfect, but some can provide valuable insights. The history of mathematical psychology is difficult to tell without centering on the influential Stanford group. Tracing academic lineages and key events includes part of the picture, but more context is needed to fully understand the field's development.


The project draws on diverse sources, including research interviews, retrospective articles, formal histories, and online materials. More interviews and research will further flesh out the historical and philosophical foundations. While incomplete, the current analysis aims to identify important themes, contrasts, and questions that shaped mathematical psychology's evolution. Ultimately, the goal is an integrated historical and conceptual roadmap to inform contemporary perspectives on the field's identity and future directions.



The Rise of Mathematical Psychology



The history of efforts to mathematize psychology traces back to the quantitative imperative stemming from the Galilean scientific revolution. This imprinted the notion that proper science requires mathematics, leading to "physics envy" in other disciplines like psychology.


Many early psychologists argued psychology needed to become mathematical to be scientific. However, mathematizing psychology faced complications absent in the physical sciences. Objects in psychology were not readily present as quantifiable, provoking heated debates on whether psychometric and psychophysical measurements were meaningful.


Nonetheless, the desire to develop mathematical psychology persisted. Different approaches grappled with determining the appropriate role of mathematics in relation to psychological experiments and data. For example, Herbart favored starting with mathematics to ensure accuracy, while Fechner insisted experiments must come first to ground mathematics.


Tensions remain between data-driven versus theory-driven mathematization of psychology. Contemporary perspectives range from psychometric and psychophysical stances that foreground data to measurement-theoretical and computational approaches that emphasize formal models.


Elucidating how psychologists negotiated to apply mathematical methods to an apparently resistant subject matter helps reveal the evolving role and place of mathematics in psychology. This historical interplay shaped the emergence of mathematical psychology as a field.



The Distinctive Mathematical Approach of Mathematical Psychology



What sets mathematical psychology apart from other branches of psychology in its use of mathematics?


Several key aspects stand out:

  1. Advocating quantitative methods broadly. Mathematical psychology emerged partly to push psychology to embrace quantitative modeling and mathematics beyond basic statistics.
  2. Drawing from diverse mathematical tools. With greater training in mathematics, mathematical psychologists utilize more advanced and varied mathematical techniques like topology and differential geometry.
  3. Linking models and experiments. Mathematical psychologists emphasize tightly connecting experimental design and statistical analysis, with experiments created to test specific models.
  4. Favoring theoretical models. Mathematical psychology incorporates "pure" mathematical results and prefers analytic, hand-fitted models over data-driven computer models.
  5. Seeking general, cumulative theory. Unlike just describing data, mathematical psychology aspires to abstract, general theory supported across experiments, cumulative progress in models, and mathematical insight into psychological mechanisms.


So while not unique to mathematical psychology, these key elements help characterize how its use of mathematics diverges from adjacent fields like psychophysics and psychometrics. Mathematical psychology carved out an identity embracing quantitative methods but also theoretical depth and broad generalization.



Situating Mathematical Psychology Relative to Cognitive Science



What is the appropriate perspective on mathematical psychology's relationship to cognitive psychology and cognitive science? While connected historically and conceptually, essential distinctions exist.


Mathematical psychology draws from diverse disciplines that are also influential in cognitive science, like computer science, psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience. However, mathematical psychology appears more skeptical of alignments with cognitive science.


For example, cognitive science prominently adopted the computer as a model of the human mind, while mathematical psychology focused more narrowly on computers as modeling tools.


Additionally, mathematical psychology seems to take a more critical stance towards purely simulation-based modeling in cognitive science, instead emphasizing iterative modeling tightly linked to experimentation.


Overall, mathematical psychology exhibits significant overlap with cognitive science but strongly asserts its distinct mathematical orientation and modeling perspectives. Elucidating this complex relationship remains an ongoing project, but preliminary analysis suggests mathematical psychology intentionally diverged from cognitive science in its formative development.


This establishes mathematical psychology's separate identity while retaining connections to adjacent disciplines at the intersection of mathematics, psychology, and computation.



Looking Ahead: Open Questions and Future Research



This historical and conceptual analysis of mathematical psychology's foundations has illuminated key themes, contrasts, and questions that shaped the field's development. Further research can build on these preliminary findings.

Additional work is needed to flesh out the fuller intellectual, social, and political context driving the evolution of mathematical psychology. Examining the influences and reactions of key figures will provide a richer picture.

Ongoing investigation can probe whether the identified tensions and contrasts represent historical artifacts or still animate contemporary debates. Do mathematical psychologists today grapple with similar questions on the role of mathematics and modeling?

Further analysis should also elucidate the nature of the purported bidirectional relationship between modeling and experimentation in mathematical psychology. As well, clarifying the diversity of perspectives on goals like generality, abstraction, and cumulative theory-building would be valuable.

Finally, this research aims to spur discussion on philosophical issues such as realism, pluralism, and progress in mathematical psychology models. Is the accuracy and truth value of models an important consideration or mainly beside the point? And where is the field headed - towards greater verisimilitude or an indefinite balancing of complexity and abstraction?

By spurring reflection on this conceptual foundation, this historical and integrative analysis hopes to provide a roadmap to inform constructive dialogue on mathematical psychology's identity and future trajectory.


The SDTEST® 



The SDTEST® is a simple and fun tool to uncover our unique motivational values that use mathematical psychology of varying complexity.



The SDTEST® helps us better understand ourselves and others on this lifelong path of self-discovery.


Here are reports of polls which SDTEST® makes:


1) Kev ua ntawm cov tuam txhab hauv kev sib raug zoo rau cov neeg ua haujlwm hauv lub hli tas los (yog / tsis muaj)

2) Kev ua ntawm cov tuam txhab hauv kev sib raug zoo rau cov neeg ua haujlwm hauv lub hli dhau los (qhov tseeb hauv%)

3) Kev ntshai

4) Cov teeb meem loj tshaj plaws ntsib kuv lub teb chaws

5) Cov thawj coj zoo li cas siv tau cov thawj coj zoo thaum pawg muaj kev vam meej?

6) Google. Yam uas cuam tshuam pab pawg sib raug zoo

7) Lub ntsiab tseem ceeb ntawm cov neeg nrhiav haujlwm

8) Dab tsi ua rau tus thawj coj loj?

9) Dab tsi ua rau tib neeg ua tiav ntawm kev ua haujlwm?

10) Koj puas npaj kom tau txais kev them nyiaj tsawg dua los ua haujlwm remotely?

11) Puas muaj hnub nyoog?

12) Hnub nyoog hauv kev ua haujlwm

13) Hnub nyoog hauv lub neej

14) Ua rau muaj hnub nyoog

15) Vim li cas thiaj ua rau tib neeg muab (los ntawm Anna Vital)

16) Vam (#WVS)

17) Oxford Ntsuam Xyuas Kev Zoo Siab

18) Kev Ntsig Txog Lub Siab

19) Qhov twg yuav yog koj qhov kev lom zem tom ntej tshaj plaws?

20) Koj yuav ua li cas rau lub lim tiam no saib xyuas koj lub hlwb?

21) Kuv nyob xav txog kuv yav dhau los, tam sim no lossis yav tom ntej

22) Qib siab

23) Artificial txawj ntse thiab qhov kawg ntawm kev vam meej

24) Vim li cas cov neeg thiaj li ncua sij hawm?

25) Poj niam txiv neej sib txawv hauv tsev kev ntseeg tus kheej (IFD Allenbach)

26) Xing. Kev Soj Ntsuam

27) Patrick Lencioni's "tsib zaug ntawm ib pab neeg"

28) Empathy yog ...

29) Dab tsi yog qhov tseem ceeb rau nws cov kws tshaj lij hauv kev xaiv txoj haujlwm?

30) Vim li cas tib neeg tiv thaiv kev hloov (los ntawm siiobhán mchaale)

31) Koj yuav tswj hwm koj cov cwj pwm txawv li cas? (los ntawm Nawal litafa m.A.)

32) 21 Txuj Ci Uas Them Koj Mus Ib Txhis (los ntawm Yelemis Teo / 赵汉昇)

33) Kev ywj pheej yog ...

34) 12 Txoj kev los tsim kev ntseeg siab nrog lwm tus (los ntawm Justin Wright)

35) Cov yam ntxwv ntawm cov neeg ua haujlwm muaj txuj ci (los ntawm kev tswj hwm lub peev xwm

36) 10 yuam kom txhawb koj pab neeg


Below you can read an abridged version of the results of our VUCA poll “Fears“. The full version of the results is available for free in the FAQ section after login or registration.

Kev ntshai

Lub teb chaws
lus
-
Mail
Rov ua dua
Muaj yog ib cov lus tseem ceeb correlation
Kev faib tawm ib txwm, los ntawm William Seas Gosset (Tub Ntxhais Kawm) r = 3.53
Kev faib tawm ib txwm, los ntawm William Seas Gosset (Tub Ntxhais Kawm) r = 3.53
Tsis tas li cas faib tawm, los ntawm Spearman r = 0.14
Cov Lus Nug Poll
Txhua nqe lus nug
Txhua nqe lus nug
Kuv qhov kev ntshai tshaj plaws yog
Kev faib
Zoo correlation,% Tsis zoo correlation,%
Zoo li ib txwm
-15.6
Answer 1
-10.1
Answer 2
-2.7
Answer 3
-9.2
Answer 4
-16.9
Answer 5
-4.2
Answer 6
-6
Answer 7
-13.4
Answer 8
-17.5
Answer 9
-12.7
Answer 10
-12.5
Answer 11
-14.8
Answer 12
-15.6
Answer 13
-11.6
Answer 14
-12
Answer 15
-7
Answer 16
Zoo li ib txwm
0.8
Answer 2
8.1
Answer 3
1.1
Answer 4
8.3
Answer 6
5.7
Answer 7
1.4
Answer 8
3.2
Answer 11
3.7
Answer 12
2.4
Answer 13
1.6
Answer 15
1.9
Answer 16
-0.2
Answer 1
-0.8
Answer 5
-5
Answer 9
-1.6
Answer 10
Zoo li ib txwm
3.3
Answer 1
3.9
Answer 2
5.5
Answer 3
2.8
Answer 4
0.6
Answer 5
2.1
Answer 6
4
Answer 7
3
Answer 8
3.6
Answer 10
1.6
Answer 11
2.8
Answer 12
4.3
Answer 13
7.5
Answer 16
-1.4
Answer 9
-0.9
Answer 14
-0.9
Answer 15
Zoo li ib txwm
9.7
Answer 1
7.1
Answer 2
1.6
Answer 4
7.2
Answer 5
1.4
Answer 8
7.7
Answer 9
2.5
Answer 10
0.8
Answer 11
3.6
Answer 12
2.4
Answer 13
1.6
Answer 15
-4.6
Answer 3
-2.3
Answer 7
-0.6
Answer 14
-5.2
Answer 16
Zoo li ib txwm
1
Answer 5
1.3
Answer 9
0.9
Answer 11
1.5
Answer 14
-1.1
Answer 1
-3.6
Answer 2
-4.4
Answer 3
-0.1
Answer 4
-5.8
Answer 6
-5.2
Answer 7
-2.4
Answer 8
-1.3
Answer 10
-3.3
Answer 12
-4.2
Answer 13
-3.8
Answer 15
-3.1
Answer 16
Tsis
li cas
3
Answer 1
0.8
Answer 2
2.9
Answer 4
11.9
Answer 5
0.1
Answer 6
3.7
Answer 7
7.8
Answer 8
15.3
Answer 9
7
Answer 10
4.9
Answer 11
9.3
Answer 12
9.2
Answer 13
10.2
Answer 14
13
Answer 15
2.2
Answer 16
-1.7
Answer 3
Zoo li ib txwm
3
Answer 1
1.9
Answer 2
0.3
Answer 3
3.3
Answer 4
1.2
Answer 5
0.4
Answer 6
2.4
Answer 7
7.1
Answer 8
5.6
Answer 9
7.1
Answer 10
5.4
Answer 11
2.8
Answer 12
6.4
Answer 13
7
Answer 14
6
Answer 15
6.9
Answer 16


Export rau MS Excel
Cov haujlwm no yuav muaj nyob rau hauv koj tus kheej VUCA kev xaiv tsa
Ua li cas

You can not only just create your poll in the tariff «V.U.C.A poll designer» (with a unique link and your logo) but also you can earn money by selling its results in the tariff «Daim pam khw», as already the authors of polls.

If you participated in VUCA polls, you can see your results and compare them with the overall polls results, which are constantly growing, in your personal account after purchasing tariff «Kuv SDT»





[1] https://twitter.com/wileyprof
[2] https://colinallen.dnsalias.org
[3] https://philpeople.org/profiles/colin-allen

2023.10.13
Valerii Kosenko
Khoom Siv Khoom Saas Tsiaj Txoj Haujlwm SDTET®

Valerii tau tsim nyog raws li kev sib raug zoo-tus kws kho mob hlwb thaum xyoo 1993 thiab muaj txij xyoo thov nws kev paub hauv Project Tswj.
Valerii tau txais Master's degree thiab qhov project thiab Project Tus Thawj Coj tsim nyog rau hauv xyoo 2013. Thaum nws paub txog txoj haujlwm Geesellschaft E. V.) thiab muab kauv ntom.
Valerii tau siv ntau yam kev ntsuam xyuas muaj zog thiab siv nws txoj kev paub thiab kev paub los hloov qhov tam sim no version ntawm sdtest.
Valerii yog tus sau tshawb fawb txog qhov tsis paub tseeb ntawm V.U.c.a. Lub tswv yim siv cov kab mob muab kauv thiab cov lej lej hauv kev ua lej, ntau dua 20 cov chaw xaiv tsa thoob ntiaj teb.
Cov ncej no muaj 0 Lus
Teb rau
Rho tawm ib daim teb
Cia koj cov lus
×
KOJ NRHIAV IB TUG YUAM KEV
Qhia KOJ tseeb version
Sau koj e-mail raws li xav
Send
Ncua tseg
Bot
sdtest
1
Nyob zoo os! Cia kuv nug koj, puas yog koj twb paub nrog Spinamics?