Judith Fan | Cognitive Tools for Uncovering Useful Abstractions

In this HAI Research Seminar, Judith Fan discusses cognitive tools for uncovering useful abstractions, focusing on how humans perceive, use, and accelerate their ability to communicate these abstractions. The talk covers research on visual and linguistic abstraction, exploring how people create meaningful drawings and convey object structures through language. Fan introduces the concept of "bridging abstractions" as core representations linking sensory processing and action, constrained by communication goals. The discussion extends to the role of cognitive tools in education and design, and the session concludes with Judith answering questions from both in-person and online audiences, addressing topics such as the impact of emotional states on communication, the use of AI in education, and the cultural dependence of cognitive tools.