1. An Integrated Theory of the Mind
John Anderson et al. Psychological Review, 111, (2004)

2. ACT Computational cognitive model 20-30 years, army of researchers
Model & modeling environment
Applied to many cognitive tasks
Constrained by common architecture & parameters
Initially focused on high-level cognition
Elaborated with perceptual-motor modules

3. Architecture Long-term Memory Goals Productions Working Memory
Perception
Action

4. Productions If-Then rules Triggered by contents of WM
Depend on current goal, knowledge, and perceptual input
Outputs:
Update goal
Update declarative knowledge
Perform action
“Central decision makers”

5. Example Declarative Knowledge Goal Stack Do Addition Addition Fact
Add Units
Summand 3
Working Memory
Recall Sum
Summand 4
Sum 7
Goal: Add Units
Summand 3
Sum 7
Summand 4
IF:
Goal = Recall Sum
Summand X
Summand Y
Addition Fact: X + Y = Z
THEN:
Remove Summand X
Remove Summand Y
Add Sum Z
Pop Goal
IF:
Goal = Add Units
Sum X
THEN:
Write X
Pop Goal
Goal: Recall Sum
Motor
Perception 73
+44
“7”

6. Issues Characterization of modules Subsymbolic processing Learning
Modeling complex tasks
Mapping to neuroanatomy