Last two weeks we mainly learned about social psychology and cognition. Firstly, let's review the basic concept of cognition and have a better understand of it. Then I'll analyze the current social networks with relevant knowledge.
Part 1.
As the picture below showing, cognition can be divided into three different levels.
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| fig1. Hierarchy of Cognition |
Even though a detail explanation of these 3 levels were given in the class, it was still very hard to understand the concept very clearly, especially the highest level--epistemic cognition. In my view, from the bottom up, the cognition is from wide to deep. It also indicates that the higher the level is, the more difficulty to reach the level.
To understand this more specifically, let's think about the library.
- There are a huge number of books in a library, and we can regard them as data which in the bottom of the triangle model. We feel this like an ocean containing all the data that we need and we don't need.
- We try to find books we need, read those books and get useful information from the book. And this can be regarded as the middle of the triangle model. During this period, we may deal with those information in many ways (e.g. categorize information, take notes, and keep them in mind).
- After we gain the information from books, we could come with new ideas by ourselves. Discussing with others is also a good way to help us create new ideas. We make information become systemic and orderly, then transform information as knowledge. This process is just like the top of the triangle model. Another appropriate description of the 3rd level would be a Chinese proverb: "Consider the past, and you shall know the future. "(温故而知新)
Part 2.
Now we get a clear view of 3 levels cognition, so let's see how current social networks reflecting these 3 levels.
Here I will analyze one of the most popular SNS--Weibo.com in Mainland China. It has the same function with twitter.com, but is localized in many details. In this case, the presentation of 3 levels depends on different users (only high level users are considered in this passage).
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| fig2. Interface of weibo.com |
- In the home page, we can see numerous messages posted by the people we following. Those messages can be regarded as data in the bottom of triangle model. In this stage, messages are in a mess, and we can not distinguish which we would be more interested at our first sight.
- In the 2nd stage, we read the messages and find those interesting ones then retweet them or/and mark them as our favourite. And tags are also available. This kind of behavior helps information spread very rapidly.
- In the 3rd stage, users may use the function of twteet, comment and reply to share their ideas, to discuss their point of views. The authenticity of the information is usually uncertain, but I think the majority of high level users (within epistemic cognition level) can discriminate easily while still some users operate without thinking. Users on the 3rd level transform the useful information as knowledge, improve their thinking capacity and discernment.
In conclusion, we can see that current SNS has contained the elements of 3 levels cognition, but the showing level of cognition depends on user quality. We also can see that high level users contribute more in SNS (they seldom spread rumors), so in order to facilitate the development of SNS the future trend would be guiding low level users to high level. However, there is no such method now. I'm dying to know it. How about you?
Reference
[1] Class Notes (week3, week4)
[2] http://www.quora.com/Cognition/What-is-Epistemic-Cognition
