All the flash movies used in the Inquiry modules are listed here, sorted alphabetically. A short description follows each item.
Right click on the *.swf file and click 'Save File As...' to download the flash movie. To embed that movie in an web page, click on the *.html page with the same name, copy and paste that into your html document, and place the *.swf file in the same directory. To learn how to use the movie in a Powerpoint show, click here: http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/ts/documents/flash_powerpoint.htm.
To test the movie in your browser, click on 'Launch'. To check which modules this movie appears in, click on 'More Info'.
The three presidential debates from Campaign 2004 are now available embedded in a browsable flash movie. Click here to browse!
This is a simple demonstration of the 'four-card' problem often used to teach conditionals. In this case, 35 cards are presented, each with a number on one side and a letter on the other. Students are asked to determine if the statement 'If a card has a vowel on one side, it has an even number on the other' is true of this set of cards. Turning over a card costs $10, and getting the problem correct rewards $200. The conditional is false. Turing over the '3' card yields and 'I'.
This is a simple demonstration of the 'four-card' problem often used to teach conditionals. In this case, 35 cards are presented, each with a number on one side and a letter on the other. Students are asked to determine if the statement if a card had an even number on it, it has a consonant on the other side.' is true of this set of cards. Turning over a card costs $10, and getting the problem correct rewards $200. The conditional is true.
This is a simple demonstration of the 'four-card' problem often used to teach conditionals. In this case, 35 cards are initially presented, each with a number on one side and a letter on the other. However, in this version, each card is replaced after it is turned over. Students are asked to determine if the statement 'if a card does not have a consonant on it, it does not have an even number on the other side.' is true of this set of cards. Turning over a card costs $10, and getting the problem correct rewards $200. The conditional is false. Turning over the 'U' card yields an '8'.
This is a simple animated movie to introduce the concepts of necessary and sufficient conditions in causal theory. An 8 ball is presented rolling into a pocket. Three sufficient conditions are then presented: the 8 ball is struck by a cue ball, the 8 ball is struck by a cue, and the 8 ball falls into the pocket due to an earthquake.
This is a simple animated movie to introduce the concepts of necessary and sufficient conditions in causal theory. An 8 ball is presented rolling into a pocket. Three sufficient conditions are then presented: the 8 ball is struck by a cue ball, the 8 ball is struck by a cue, and the 8 ball falls into the pocket due to an earthquake.
This is a simple animated movie to introduce the concepts of necessary and sufficient conditions in causal theory. An 8 ball is presented rolling into a pocket. In this case, the goal is to show how a sufficient condition is not also necessary. When the cue ball strikes the 8 ball and earthquake occurs, the 8 ball does *not* drop into the pocket. The non-interfering condition, as well as the basic earthquake condition is also presented.
This is a simple animated movie to introduce the concepts of necessary and sufficient conditions in causal theory. An 8 ball is presented rolling into a pocket. Two conditions are presented, both of which begin by the cue ball striking the 8 ball. In the first, an earthquake occurs and the 8 ball does *not* drop. In the second, the earthquake does *not* occur, and the 8 ball does drop.
The first of a series of flash movies that allow students to investigate their blind spot. All of these are based on Ramachandran 1993. In this case, the object that passes into the blind spot is centered between red and green vertical lines.
The second of a series of flash movies that allow students to investigate their blind spot. All of these are based on Ramachandran 1993. In this case, the object that passes into the blind spot is centered in the middle of a lopsided 'X', in which the red leg is longer than the green leg.
The third of a series of flash movies that allow students to investigate their blind spot. All of these are based on Ramachandran 1993. In this case, the object that passes into the blind spot is centered in a line of similar objects.
The fourth of a series of flash movies that allow students to investigate their blind spot. All of these are based on Ramachandran 1993. In this case, the object that passes into the blind spot is centered in the middle of a radial 'spoke' pattern.
Seven playing cards are presented numerous times - in each case, the length of time each card is presented increases. One of the cards (the Queen of Spades) is anonalous: the spade is red. Users are asked to click a button when they notice an anomaly, and the data is recorded in a table in the inquiry database.
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. In this case, the wheel develops through three stages: Gestation, Initial Maturation and Current
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. The wheel is presented only in its 'current' state and the links between the disciplines are labeled.
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. The wheel is presented through three stages: Gestation, Initial Maturation and Current. In its 'current' state and the links between the disciplines are labeled.
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. The wheel is presented only in its 'current' state and the links between the disciplines contain links to journals relevant to that discipline.
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. The wheel is presented only in its 'current' state and the links between the disciplines contain links to researchers who work in that discipline.
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. The wheel is presented only in its 'current' state and the links between the disciplines contain links to professional organizations that support these disciplines.
An animated, interactive version of the wheel of cognitive science found in the introduction to "The Companion of Cognitive Science" by Bechtel and Graham. The wheel is presented only in its 'current' state and the links between the disciplines contain links to researchers who work in that discipline.
Graphs the number of whortises in a population where the number of new whortis = RX(100,000-X)/100,000 where X is the number of whortis in the previous generation. In this case, R=0.75 and the starting population is 10,000. The population drops steadily to 0.
Graphs the number of whortises in a population where the number of new whortis = RX(100,000-X)/100,000 where X is the number of whortis in the previous generation. In this case, R=1.5 and the starting population is 10,000. The population increases steadily to 33,333.
Graphs the number of whortises in a population where the number of new whortis = RX(100,000-X)/100,000 where X is the number of whortis in the previous generation. In this case, R=3.2 and the starting population is 10,000. The population oscillates regularly.
Graphs the number of whortises in a population where the number of new whortis = RX(100,000-X)/100,000 where X is the number of whortis in the previous generation. In this case, R=3.8 and the starting population is 10,000. The population reaches a chaotic state.
An animated version of John Searle's famous Chinese Room thought experiment. A man sits in a room. Two strings of Chinese characters pass through a slot into the room. Using a set of conditional rules, the man produces another string of Chinese characters.
The first of a series of demonstrations using a ceiling fan and light. In this case, the fan is dependent on the left chain being pulled and the circuit breaker being closed. The light is dependent on the right chain being pulled, the wall switch being on, and the circuit breaker being closed.
A movie to set-up the Michotte demonstration later. A 3-ball is presented, a 2-ball rolls in from the left, collides with the 3-ball, and the 3-ball rolls out of the movie to the right.
A movie to set-up the Michotte demonstration later. A 3-ball is presented, a 2-ball rolls in from the left and then the 3-ball rolls out of the movie to the right. The trick is that the 3-ball is displaced from the spot of collision by a few pixels.
A movie to set-up the Michotte demonstration later. A 3-ball is presented, a 2-ball rolls in from the left and the 3-ball rolls out of the movie to the right. In this one, the 3-ball does not move away from the 2-ball until a few seconds have passed.
A simple movie relating four variables ('Eating Hot Peppers', 'Increased Blood Flow', 'Increase of Heartburn' and 'Decrease in Arthritis Pain') in a simplified version of a causal graph. In this case, 'Eating Hot Peppers' is linked to 'Increased blood Flow', which is the common cause of the remaining two variables.
A simple movie relating four variables ('Snow on ground', 'Cold Temperature', 'My Parking in the side Lot' and 'John's parking in the side Lot') in a simplified version of a causal graph. In this case, 'Snow on ground' is linked to 'My Parking in the side Lot' and 'Cold Temperature' is linked to 'John's parking in the side lot'. The correlation between the causes and the effects is also shown.
Two variables ('Level of Violence in Society' and 'Level of Violence in Lyrics') are displayed once again, but this time, the direction of causation is from the first to the second.
A figure that can be interpreted either as a 'B' or as a '13' without context. The user clicks 'next' to reveal the letters 'A' and 'C' arranged vertically. Another click reveals '12' and '14' arranged horizontally.
A black shape is displayed. A reveals three lines emanating from the center of the shape. Another click reveals a man 'sitting' in the shape, in order to suggest an arm chair.
A grumpy frog is displayed, prompting users to think about the connection with that same black shape. A click reveals the frog walking away, suggesting foot prints.
A version of Conway's game of life in Macromedia Flash. No starting condition is given - users can turn any of the blocks on and run the game on that starting set.
A small version of Conway's Game of Life in which the starting conditions define a 'Glider' - a set of cells that move down and to the right in successive generations.
A photo of our department is displayed. Rolling the mouse over each person brings up a description of their roll, including 'Assistant Professor', 'Full Professor', 'Post Doc', 'Grad Student' and others.
Another version of the famous duck-rabbit ambiguous figure. In order to help the observer, the user is allowed to click on 'Duck', which colors the figure, or 'Rabbit', which rotates the figure.
A bar graph of the data recorded by memoryProblem.swf. It retrieves its data via '../processes/getEbbinghausCount.php?mod_id=XX' where XX is the module ID of the module in which it is embeded. The data is formated in XML. Unused in the current deployment.
A histogram of the data recorded by memoryProblem.swf. It retrieves its data via '../processes/getEbbinghausCount.php?mod_id=XX' where XX is the module ID of the module in which it is embeded. The data is formated in XML.
A 5x5 grid of letters is displayed for 30 seconds. The letters then disappear, and one of the rows or columns is chosen randomly. The user is asked to recall the letters that were in that row or column. Data is *not* collected.
An interactive version of the famous face / vase ambiguous figure. A black figure is displayed on a white background. A click brings up the image of a face, another click shades the figure suggesting a vase.
Lateral slice through the head of a figure. Light reflects of a red object, the light passes through the retina and into the optic nerve, yielding a 'Sensation of red' in the visual cortex
Lateral slice through the head of a figure. Three options are available - one projects Longwave light into the eye, yielding an experience of red. Another projects Middle-wavelength light into the eye, yielding an experince of green, and the third projects short wavelength light yielding an experience of purple.
An animated demonstration of Halley's comet's path through the solar system. The 9 planets are shown moving in their orbits. The user can control the scale and the speed (in number of years / second) for the demonstration. Planet orbits are calculated as circles in order to save computational power.
Simple demonstration of how a hypothesis many vary between 'Folk' and 'Technical'. Clicking on 'Folk' brings up 'More Studying produces more learning', while clicking on 'Techincal' shows 'Comets orbit the sun in elliptical orbits'.
Simple demonstration of how a hypothesis many vary between 'General' and 'Specific'. Clicking on 'General' brings up 'Nature matters more than nurture', while clicking on 'Specificl' shows 'Unrelated children living in the same household...'.
Simple demonstration of how a hypothesis many vary between 'Vague' and 'Precise'. Clicking on 'Vague' brings up 'The internal body temperature of normal humans is 100 degrees F', while clicking on 'Precisel' shows 'The internal body temperature of normal humans is 98.6 degrees F'.
A stick figure stands in the middle with the days of the week arranged on top. The user clicks on one of the days and drags it to the stick figure's head. Some of them cause the stick figure to stand on his head, others do not. The user is supposed to determine what property is causally responsible for the figure's behavior (having 6 letters)
A demonstration of the Blind Spot. A black dot is presented on a red dot. By using the arrow keys, the user can move the black dot, eventually placing it in their blind spot. The distance between the two dots is shown (in pixels).
A demonstration of the Blind Spot. A black dot is presented on a red dot. By using the arrow keys, the user can move the black dot, eventually placing it in their blind spot. The distance between the two dots is shown (in pixels).
A demonstration of the Blind Spot. A black dot is presented on a red dot. By using the arrow keys, the user can move the black dot, eventually placing it in their blind spot. The distance between the two dots is shown (in pixels).
A version of Sternberg's experiment described in the Mathematical Modeling modules. A random number (between 1 & 9) of digits are shown, each for 1 second. After a brief pause, a digit is presented, and the student is asked to tell if that digit was contained in the original set or not. Upon receiving an answer, the flash movie sends a javascript command to the module page to tally the data.
A mouse is presented. Clicking on a small red circle zooms in until the hippocampus is shown. Another click zooms in further to reveal the mechanism of long-term potentiation. A final click reveals the NMDA receptors. Drawings by Carl Craver.
A simplified version of Ebbinghaus' famous memory experiments. 12 one-syllable words are presented, each for 1 second. At the end of the list, users are asked to recall as many as possible. The experiment is repeated 3 times. Once complete, the flash movie sends a javascript command to the module page in order to load the results into the database.
Two balls roll into the frame, collide and roll out. This version allows the user to control aspects of the scene relevant to the perception of causation: Where the balls start and stop, when the motion of the balls begins, and whether or not a sound accompanies the collision.
10 green objects start floating around a field, some of which turn red after a while. The task is to decide what all the red objects have in common in virtue of which they turned red. The solution is that there is one special object that turns the others red during a collision.
Jack and Jill are presented - After a binge, Jill gets sick and Jack does not. The task is to feed 5 of the 6 items Jill ate to Jack, in order to determine which of the 6 items made Jill sick. The answer is the hamburger.
Same as the method of Differences, except that both Jack and Jill eat all 6 items. We are forced to hypothesize that the cause of Jill's illness is an unknown factor.
One black ball collides with another, launching it. The user is allowed to adjust the mass of both balls, and encouraged to discover how that effects the resultant velocity of the second ball.
One black ball collides with another, launching it. The user is allowed to adjust the mass of both balls, and encouraged to discover how that effects the resultant velocity of the second ball. In this version, the user can also vary the amount of friction.
An interactive demonstration of the moon illusion. The moon is presented just above the horizon in a landscape as well as the foreground. Users can, by clicking and dragging, move either moon around the scene to see its apparant size change according to its location on the background.
A *very* simple multiple object tracking program: 8 objects are presented, four of which blink. The 8 objects move around for 30 seconds, and the user is asked which of the 8 blinked. Unused in any module.
A mouse trap is presented. Users set the trap by dragging a piece of cheese to the trigger. They are then encouraged to try to snatch the cheese before the trap fires.
A mouse trap is presented. Users set the trap by dragging a piece of cheese to the trigger. They are then encouraged to try to snatch the cheese before the trap fires.
A mouse trap is presented. Users set the trap by dragging a piece of cheese to the trigger. They are then encouraged to try to snatch the cheese before the trap fires. This time, the process of trapping is broken down into steps so the user can observe the causal / mechanical relationships between the components of the trap.
A simplified demonstration of McCollough-Pitts Neurons. If the sum of the value of the input nodes exceeds the value of the threshold of the center node, the output node gets value '1'.
A demonstration of the parallax effect. A red dot is presented in front of a static screen. A camera views the scene. Two views are displayed: from the "top" and "through" the camera. The user is encouraged to move the dot and camera to investigate where the dot appears in relation to the static screen.
A few entries from the UCSD phone book. Clicking on a name brings up the number. After viewing the phone book, students are asked to recall the numbers without using the movie.
The famed prisoner's dilemma. The user plays Colin, the computer Rose. The computer plays tit-for-tat (try to cooperate in the first round, but then play the other player's last move in a successive rounds). By using this strategy, the computer cannot be beaten in infinite play (the user can have a higher score than the computer iff the user's score <= 0).
A diagram to demonstrate Newell's notion of a "Problem Space". A problem is presented ("Should I do my homework?") and the students are encouraged to choose 'yes' or 'no'. Each answer gives rise to new questions.
The song "Judy is a punk rocker" is played while one of two sets of lyrics scroll up in time. One set contains the correct lyrics; the other set contains often-misheard lyrics. The set presented is chosen randomly. At the end of the clip, the user is asked to rate their confidence that the lyrics they heard were the lyrics they read.
An ambiguous figure is presented after 'priming' the user with 4 pictures of faces. The same figure is then presented after priming with 4 pictures of animals. Users often report seeing the figure as an old man in the first pass, and then a rat in the second.
The song "Its the end of the world as we know it" is played while one of two sets of lyrics scroll up in time. One set contains the correct lyrics; the other set contains often-misheard lyrics. The set presented is chosen randomly. At the end of the clip, the user is asked to rate their confidence that the lyrics they heard were the lyrics they read.
A demonstration of the Blind Spot. A black dot is presented on a red dot. By using the arrow keys, the user can move the black dot, eventually placing it in their blind spot. The distance between the two dots is shown (in pixels).
Two demonstrations side by side of an object orbiting the earth. When the user clicks 'Drop', the object falls to earth. On the left, it falls according to Aristotelian Physics, on the right, Newtonian.
A simple mathematical network in which all nodes other than the inputs either add or subtract the values of its inputs. The user can, by clicking on a node, remove that node from the network. The task for the user is to determine whether a particular node is an addition or subtraction node.
A simple mathematical network in which all nodes other than the inputs either add or subtract the values of its inputs. The user can, by clicking on a node, remove that node from the network. The task for the user is to determine whether a particular node is an addition or subtraction node. Slightly more complex, and therefore, difficult, than 'simpleNetwork2'.
A simple feed-forward architecturally-dependent neural network. If a node is 'on', its activation is 1 (and its color is red). Nodes other than input nodes activate (with value '1') iff the sum of the activation values of its inputs is greater than its threshold (shown in a textbox on the node). Activate nodes by clicking on them, change thresholds by clicking the textbox. Click 'run' and then 'Step' to run. This network is set up to perform like and 'And' gate.
Shows the back propagation solution for the conditional truth table. In this case, the user can specify the truth table the network should solve. After clicking 'Run', the user clicks 'Train' to train the network. Inputs are fed in from a truth table, resulting in changes in the connection weights and node biases.
Shows the back propagation solution for the XOR truth table. After clicking 'Run', the user clicks 'Train' to train the network. Inputs are fed in from a truth table, resulting in changes in the connection weights and node biases.
A simple feed-forward architecturally-dependent neural network. If a node is 'on', its activation is 1 (and its color is red). Nodes other than input nodes activate (with value '1') iff the sum of the activation values of its inputs is greater than its threshold (shown in a textbox on the node). Activate nodes by clicking on them, change thresholds by clicking the textbox. Click 'run' and then 'Step' to run. This network is set up to show how activation propagates through different layers.
Shows the back propagation solution for the conditional truth table. After clicking 'Run', the user clicks 'Train' to train the network. Inputs are fed in from a truth table, resulting in changes in the connection weights and node biases.
A simple feed-forward architecturally-dependent neural network. If a node is 'on', its activation is 1 (and its color is red). Nodes other than input nodes activate (with value '1') iff the sum of the activation values of its inputs is greater than its threshold (shown in a textbox on the node). Activate nodes by clicking on them, change thresholds by clicking the textbox. Click 'run' and then 'Step' to run. This network is set up to output a '1' iff the first node is '1' and the second '0'.
A simple feed-forward architecturally-dependent neural network. If a node is 'on', its activation is 1 (and its color is red). Nodes other than input nodes activate (with value '1') iff the sum of the activation values of its inputs is greater than its threshold (shown in a textbox on the node). Activate nodes by clicking on them, change thresholds by clicking the textbox. Click 'run' and then 'Step' to run. This network is set up to output a '1' iff a majority of its inputs are '1'.
A simple feed-forward architecturally-dependent neural network. If a node is 'on', its activation is 1 (and its color is red). Nodes other than input nodes activate (with value '1') iff the sum of the activation values of its inputs is greater than its threshold (shown in a textbox on the node). Activate nodes by clicking on them, change thresholds by clicking the textbox. Click 'run' and then 'Step' to run. This network is set up as an 'Or' gate.
A simple feed-forward architecturally-dependent neural network that can solve for the XOR truth table. It outputs a '1' iff one of the two input nodes is '1' and the other '0'. This is the simplest use of a hidden layer.
A simple natural language parser based on a Turing machine. A simple machine table, whose columns are based on parts of speech, is presented and simple sentences are parsed accordingly. Students are encouraged to input new sentences, change the part of speech database, and find the occasions in which the parser fails to parse the sentence.
An exercise to help understand machine tables. A soda machine is presented. It takes 2 inputs, 50c and $1, and has two outputs, a soda and 50c. Students are asked to investigate all the input and output conditions, in order to write out a table specifying the input-output relations.
A picture of 'Spike', professor Craver's late dog, is presented. Clicking 'Jumble' decomposes Spike into blocks and rearranges them randomly. In this version, the user can try to rearrange Spike.
The song "Tumblin' Dice" is played while one of two sets of lyrics scroll up in time. One set contains the correct lyrics; the other set contains often-misheard lyrics. The set presented is chosen randomly. At the end of the clip, the user is asked to rate their confidence that the lyrics they heard were the lyrics they read.
Two textboxes are displayed linked by a causal relationship. The user is asked to fill in the boxes. The correct values are 'Stress' and 'Mistakes'. Unused in any current module.
A simple flash movie to produce afterimages in observers. Two squares (one yellow, one blue) are presented for 30 seconds, after which they disappear. Observers often report seeing yellow in the place where the blue square was presented and vice-versa.
A simplified version of Ebbinghaus' famous memory experiments. 12 one-syllable words are presented, each for 1 second. At the end of the list, users are asked to recall as many as possible. The experiment is repeated 3 times. Once complete, the flash movie sends a javascript command to the module page in order to load the results into the database.
A Turing machine that computes the successor of any number. Numbers are encoded thus: Every number starts with a '0', the number of '1's following the '0' is the number. Therefore, the string '011' represents '2', and '0111' represents '3'. The table comes from Kleene, 1957.
A Turing machine adds two numbers on the tape. Numbers are encoded as in the 'Successor function' machine. The user can reset the machine with new numbers by using the two textboxes and clicking 'reset machine'.
A Turing machine that counts in binary. The string starts with a '1' to mark the end of tape. A two-row machine table defines a function that will produce, in succession, '1', '01', '11', '001', '101', '011', etc.
With a completed tape, the universal machine computes the machine table loaded into the left half of the tape, and counts in binary - exactly like 'turingMachineSimple' - on the right half.
Shows how to create a universal Turing machine by splitting the tape into two infinite halves. The portion to the left will hold the encoded machine table, the portion to the right will act as the tape. The halves are delimited by an 'X' and 'Y', which mark off 2 blocks. These blocks hold a digit specifying the state of the machine and the last value read from the tape. As this is a two-row two-column machine table, these two are enough to specify the condition of the machine.
Once the tape is split into two halves, the encoded machine table is loaded into the left side of the tape. By pressing 'rewind', the user can verify that the machine table has been loaded successfully.
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