Overview of research in Cognitive science

Brain Oscillations (prof. Christina M. Krause)

Scientists now agree that ”memory” among other cognitive processes should be considered as a dynamic, distributed property of the entire brain, rather than a characteristic of a single brain region. Dynamic and distributed brain oscillatory systems have been proposed to act as the neural communication mechanism which mediates higher-level information processing, including memory. Recording of EEG oscillatory responses during cognitive tasks serves as a tool to assess the dynamic aspects of the neural processes in the human brain. The EEG is one of the few methods that currently can assess distributed dynamic brain processes during experiments on behaving and conscious humans.

The aim of this research is to assess the simultaneous event-related responses of multiple EEG frequency bands and to evaluate the complexity of the brain oscillatory response system in association with cognitive processes. Additionally, the aim is to explore the magnitude  and  possible consequences  of the  well-known  -  but well-silenced  -  variation  in  the  EEG  signal  during  mental  tasks.

Do You Mind if I Read Your Mind (prof. Christina Krause, Markus Kivikangas, Anu Holm, Kimmo Feldt, Heidi Ala-Salomäki)     
                     
A considerable number of different surveys show that a majority of employees (65-75%) keep naming their immediate superior as the worst aspect of their job, while incompetent leadership in corporate life appears to range from 30% to 75% in all leadership situations.  Thus, the lack of leadership skills is a genuine and severe problem. As a “soft” science, leadership development has typically been ignored as being beyond the reach of traditional business education and training, with contemporary managers and leadership educators making limited use of the significant and substantial “hard-science” evidence provided by neuroscience and physiology of stress on behaviors relevant and applicable to effective leadership practices.

The main objective of the project is to establish a solid scientific foundation for developing a practical evidence-based Neuroleadership Development Tool (NDT) for identifying and developing good leadership.

Co-registration of Eye Movements and Electrophysiological  Responses (Alina Leminen, Jaana Simola, prof. Christina M. Krause)

Brain-electric correlates of visual processing (e.g. reading and scene perception) have been traditionally studied with serial presentation of stimuli (word-by-word), a condition that eliminates important aspects of normal visual perception. This has resulted in investigations of cognition in overly simplified settings, which require and measure only minimal participant behavior.

In the TEVSOC (Towards ecologically valid studies on cognition) research project, processing of natural stimuli (e.g., photographs and sentences) is investigated by recording eye movements, EEG (electroencephalogram) and MEG (magnetoencephalogram) concurrently. This technique allows analyses of brain responses time-locked to eye fixations detected on crucial parts of the stimuli, to examine the exact time-course of visual and linguistic processes, and to disentangle these processes from each other.

Dog Cognition (Sanni Somppi, Heini Törnqvist, prof. Christina M. Krause)

Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have become popular models of comparative cognition through their human-like cognitive skills. Dogs are sensitive to human communicative, attentive and emotional cues and they have human-like abilities for visual categorizing and forming representations. In our multidisciplinary research the canine mind is examined from a new perspective with a non-invasive electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye-tracking system. We use visual and auditory paradigms widely used in human research, e.g. mismatch negativity and emotional facial pictures, to explore cognitive processes such as perception, memory and affective states of domestic dogs.

Vision & action (Lari Vainio, Kaisa Tiippana, Jiří Lukavský)

The systems underlying visual perception and action are tightly integrated. Vision-action research has generally focused on exploring how visual processes influence motor processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that motor processes can also automatically influence visual processes. The main objective of our project is to reveal (excitatory and inhibitory) mechanisms behind the top-down influences from motor processes on visual perception and attention – the mechanisms that are not yet understood. For instance, we have recently developed variations of the visual search paradigm showing that recently executed action influences allocation of visual attention towards objects that are congruent with the action. As a consequence, the action that is executed an instant before the onset of the search display impairs perceptual processing of action-congruent objects (e.g., the precision grasp impairs the search of small objects and the power grasp impairs the search of large objects).

Traffic Cognition (Otto Lappi, Esko Lehtonen, Jami Pekkanen, Markus Mattsson, Teemu Itkonen, Henri Kotkanen)

The goal of this research group is to understand the cognitive mechanisms controlling high speed steering, speed selection and risk perception. The ultimate aim is to produce computational models of the visual behavior and decision making mechanisms, especially (i) visual processes involved in steering (where visual processes should be understood broadly, to include motion perception, object recognition, allocation of visuospatial attention, object recognition and scene interpretation), (ii) the cognitive and emotional foundations of risk appraisal and risk management and (iii) the acquisition of cognitive schemas decision making skills involved in scene perception and hazard detection.

Data collection is carried out mainly in the field, with the instrumented research cars of the Traffic Research Unit. This allows measurements to be carried out in ecologically realistic conditions, on the public roads or sometimes on closed circuits. Biosignal analysis and integration of vehicle telemetry and data on road geometry is done with algorithms developed by members of the research group. 

Conceptual Change (Otto Lappi, Ismo Koponen, Terhi Mäntylä, Anna-Mari Rusanen,  Samuli Pöyhönen)

Entering into higher education, students' conceptions undergo a restructuring process. When this reorganization is comprehensive, it is called "conceptual change". When this happens, learning does not result merely in richer or more accurate factual knowledge but the conceptual framework which one uses to organize knowledge, to interpret phenomena and to make sense of the world is replaced by a new one and/or the learning process results in the learner being in possession of new concepts (i.e. concepts which he did not previously possess).

We are interested in the cognitive principles underlying the students' concept formation. The aim is to develop computational models to represent the basic building blocks out of which commonsense preconceptions are formed and the learning mechanism involved in turning them into coherent scientific conceptions.

Ubiquitous Spatial Interaction (prof. Christina M. Krause, Katja Irvankoski, Jari Torniainen)

The development of geographic information systems (GISs), positioning systems and mobile interactive terminals enable new possibilities to produce interactive maps that adapt visualisation and functionality to different usage situations and individual user needs. However, technical development as such is not enough: new information is needed about how these maps could support users in map related tasks. Although maps have mostly been just visual depictions, modern ubiquitous maps could exploit hearing and sense of touch for interaction with the map.

Computer Enabled Neuroplasticity Treatment (prof. Christina M. Krause, Markus Kivikangas, Elisa Kallioniemi, Mona Moisala)

The aim of the project is to study and develop a novel treatment method for undesired behavioral and brain states (e.g., ADHD, stress). The project is motivated by well-known limitations of medical treatment; although pharmacotherapy is an essential part of any intervention, some patients always fail to respond favorably, adverse effects cause significant problems, and long-term benefits as well as compliance rates remain low. These challenges can be partially solved by Computer Enabled Neuroplasticity Treatment (CENT) which is based on giving the subject instant feedback (neurofeedback) of his/hers brain activity (EEG) in order to alter undesired activation towards more favorable brain states. This might be a promising method of treatment in the future due to its efficiency, lack of adverse effects and, most notably, long-term effectiveness.

Working Memory and Mathematics (Kaisa Kanerva, Virpi Kalakoski, Minna Kyttälä)

Working memory is crucial in understanding typical and atypical development of mathematical skills. Working memory refers to the mental work space responsible for concurrent maintenance and processing of task relevant information. Mental arithmetic, for example, involves maintaining number information in working memory and simultaneously processing arithmetic operations to arrive at a solution. The working memory requirements of mathematics are widely studied with non-experimental methods, and results depend partly on the measures used. Experimental methods are needed to confirm the causal relationships between working memory and mathematics, and to better understand the origin of individual differences in mathematical skills, especially in school aged children.

The main purpose of this research project is to develop experimental tasks to study the role of working memory, especially executive functions, in mathematics at the age of 5, 11 and 15. In addition, based on these results, working memory interventions for pre-school children are developed and the effects and transfer effects of training are studied.