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
Hi! After reading your article, I just couldn't agree with all your idea.
回复删除Firstly, the three level hierarchy of cognition might not be the way you think, as like bottom-up cognition is from wide to deep. Its three level means different level, for example, the second level is exactly "thinking about thinking" as Dorothy mentioned in her blog(http://zhanghedorothy.blogspot.hk/).
Secondly, the Weibo example you gave might not be accurate since you misunderstood the hierarchy of cognition. I think that the process of reading and retweeting is at the first stage of cognition, as the definition of cognition.
Lastly, identifying the authenticity of the information is at the second level of cognition in my thought.
I have to admitted that the knowledge of cognition is difficult to understand and I can't know it clear throughly. Welcome to discuss with me. ^_^
I didn't hold the opinion that 3 levels mean the same level. And I still insist these 3 levels cognition are from wide to deep. In terms of width, Data > Information > Knowledge, while in terms of deepth,things become exact opposite:Data < Information < Knowledge. For one thing, people with cognition in different levels cognate different things.
删除I agree with you that reading is at the first stage like which I have mentioned in the 1st level viewpoint "we can see numerous messages posted by the people we following".About the behavior of retweet, I have some new ideas about it, so I will discuss this at last.
For identifying the authenticity of the information, you can refer to the lecture note week 3 at page 44-48, which can support my understanding that identification is at 3rd stage.
Well, let's discuss the most interesting question about retweet behavior.
At the beginning of Weibo analysis, I emphasized only high level users are considered in this passage. So retweet behavior will not be in the 1st stage.
Actually, I think, from a general angle, retweet happens in 3 levels. We can consider this again, include all kind of users this time.
1st level, users have a hobby to retweet everything without thinking,and maybe just for sense of being.(users do like what we say in Chinese "无脑转发")
2nd level, users retweet what they like and want to share with others.(this action may be taken as marking something they favorite)
3rd level, uers in this stage are with more virtue and responsibility, so they retweet things matters in our society (e.g. donation, emergency, plea etc.)
I think your article is interesting and goes into detail about three levels of cognition.
回复删除I think it's good that you give so many examples but I do think some of them are not accurate.
I just can't understand why "Consider the past, and you shall know the future. " is in
the third level. I think the example is more suitable for metacognition.
You can refer to lecture note week 3 at page 40, where one aspect to understand epistemic cognition is mentioned.
删除We all know that epistemic cognition is the highest level of building knowledge. The key of "Consider the past, and you shall know the future" is that you know the future, at the same time, you proudce new knowledge.
I think it can be regarded as a kind of knowledge advancement, and that's the reason why I think it is in the 3rd level.
Weibo is definitely a good illustration about how cognition theory could be involved in social network. IMO, either the construction or popularity of such website is the result of psychology theory.
回复删除0,0 at the very start, I didn't know IMO! After looking it up I know it's short for "in my opinion".
删除That's very interesting, and I think if I stop here, I will still in the 2nd level of cognition. Suppose there is no such a word like "BTW", and I create this word by the way I learn from "IMO", can this process be taken as epistemic cognition?
BTW, could you give me some example about how construction and popularity reflect psychology theory?
Hi! It is good to take library as an example to understand the three levels more specifically, but I think the description of the 3rd level may not be appropriate. It's more likely drawing inferences about other cases from information we get. BTW, I think your analysis of Weibo is detailed and to my way of thinking.
回复删除Hi,thanks for you comment.
删除Actually, I think there is no such a explicit boundary between 2nd level and 3rd level. Prediction of outcome of data processing is a reflection of meta-cognition, while new knowledge production through learning from dissociation is a reflection of epistemic cognition.
I think "Drawing inferences about other cases from information we get" involves in both 2nd and 3rd level. For us science and engineering students, we get used to do some conjecture and deduction with formulas. For those arts students, they may think in other ways out of mine.
Hi~ it's really helpful for you to come up with the library & Weibo.com examples respectively when representing the concepts of three levels of cognition. I got a deeper understanding from your examples.
回复删除When we come across some new concepts, especial those on some abstrat fields, we need to think more and hunt for some concrete examples in order to learn faster.
Using library as an example to understand the three levels of cognition is interesting. Actually, I’m not quite understand what is the high level user and low level user in Weibo. If this level is judged by what they behave and interested in, I think it may be really difficult to improve the situation you mentioned. It relates to the psychology, human nature and education etc. Its really complicated and I don’t think this problem can be solved in a short time. Fortunately, social network is still in its early stage and we also have time to improve it!
回复删除I like your example that reading books in library for the three levels of cognition. Anyway, in my own experience when I first come into a library, I do have no idea about any books much less information in it. So my feeling is in the ocean as you wrote. After I spend more time in this library, I will get more idea about the library and eventually distribute the library into sorts of zone. That maybe the third level-- Epistemic cognition.
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