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Learning the norm of internality: NetNorm, a connectionist model

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Abstract

The objective of the present article is to show that connectionist simulations can be used to model some of the socio-cognitive processes underlying the learning of the norm of internality. For our simulations, we developed a connectionist model which we called NetNorm (based on Dual-Network formalism). This model is capable of simulating the implicit learning of this social norm through a simple process of situation/reinforcement association. In a second simulation, we simulated a non-linear learning in order to reproduce the triple inflexion in the internality learning curve that has been observed for children entering high school. The results support those previously reported in the literature. Moreover, our simulations could be used to develop new experimental predictions.

Résumé

L’objectif de cet article est de montrer que des simulations connectionistes peuvent être utilisées pour modéliser l’apprentissage de la norme d’internalité. Pour nos simulations, nous avons conçu un modèle connectionniste appelé NetNorm (fondé sur le formalisme du Dual-Network). Celui-ci est capable de simuler l’apprentissage implicite de cette norme sociale via un simple processus d’association de situation/renforcement. Dans une deuxième simulation, nous avons simulé un apprentissage non-linéaire pour reproduire l’inflexion de la courbe d’apprentissage observée lorsque les enfants arrivent au secondaire. Les résultats soutiennent ceux de la littérature. Par ailleurs, nos simulations peuvent être utilisées pour développer de nouvelles prédictions expérimentales.

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Notes

  1. In the present article, the term schema refers to the whole abstract knowledge structure that enables the norm of internality and its application conditions to be represented.

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Acknowledgements

This paper was supported in part by a grant from the Center Jacques Cartier and a grant from the Région Rhône-Alpes, France (CMIRA, Explo’ra Pro)

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pansu Pascal.

Additional information

Thierry Bollon. Laboratoire Inter-universitaire de Psychologie, Université de Savoie, UFR LLSH, Jacob-Bellecombette, BP 1104, 73000 Chambéry, Cedex, France, E-mail:, thierry.bollon@univ-savoie.fr; Web site http://www.lip.univ-savoie.fr

Current themes of research:

Social Psychology and connectionist model. Emotion in decision making.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Paignon, A., Desrichard, O., & Bollon, T., (2004). Modelisation connexioniste de 1’apprentissage social: le cas de 1’apprentissage par observation d’une tache simple. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 58, 46–60.

Adeline Paignon. Laboratoire Inter-universitaire de Psychologie, Université de Savoie, UFR LLSH, Jacob-Bellecombette, BP 1104, 73000 Chambéry, Cedex, France, E-mail:, adeline.paignon@univ-savoie.fr; Web site http://www.lip.univ-savoie.fr

Current themes of research:

Contributions of the connectionist models in Social Psychology.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Paignon, A., Desrichard, O., & Bollon, T., (2004). Modelisation connexioniste de 1’apprentissage social: le cas de 1’apprentissage par observation d’une tache simple. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 58, 46–60.

Pascal Pansu. Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Education, Equipe Perspectives Sociocognitives, Apprentissages et Conduites Sociales, Université Pierre Mendès France, 1251 Avenue Centrale, BP 47, 38040—Grenoble, France. E-mail:, pascal.pansu@upmf-grenoble.fr; Web site http://www.upmf-grenoble.fr/sciedu

Current themes of research:

His main research focuses on social judgment norms, the evaluative knowledge and on the two fundamental dimensions of social judgment: social desirability and social utility. His highest research interests also concern teachers’ judgments and their effects on pupils’ self-concept. They also include the impact of the stigmatization on cognitive performances (e.g., school performances).

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Pansu, P. & Dompnier, B. (in press). A bidimensional scale of scholastic value: Social desirability and social utility, two dimensions of personological judgment. Review of Applied Psychology, doi:10.1016/j.erap.2010.08.001

Nurra, C. & Pansu, P. (2009). The impact of significant others’ actual appraisals on children’s self-perceptions: What about Cooley’s assumption for children? European Journal of Psychology of Education, 24 (2), 247–262.

Pansu, P., Dubois, N. & Dompnier, B. (2008). Internality-norm theory in educational contexts. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 4, 385–397.

Bressoux, P. & Pansu, P. (2007). A methodological shortnote on measuring and assessing the effects of normative clearsightedness about internality. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 2, 169–178.

Dompnier, B., Pansu, P., & Bressoux, P. (2007). Social Utility, Social Desirability and Scholastic Judgments: Toward a Personological Model of Academic Evaluation. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 3, 333–350.

Pansu, P. (2006). The internality bias in social judgments: A sociocognitive approach. In A. Columbus (Ed.), Advances in Psychology Research (Vol. 40, pp. 75–110). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

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Thierry, B., Adeline, P. & Pascal, P. Learning the norm of internality: NetNorm, a connectionist model. Eur J Psychol Educ 26, 303–317 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0051-4

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