---
title: "Modeling Cognitive Development on the Balance Scale Task"
authors:
  - "Stephanie Sage"
  - "Pat Langley"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1983/25"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1983/0025.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Eighth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1983
pages: "94-95"
track: "Cognitive Modelling"
keywords:
---

# Modeling Cognitive Development on the Balance Scale Task

Stephanie Sage, Pat Langley

*Proceedings of the Eighth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 94-95.

## Abstract

In this paper we describe a production system model of children's de ve lopn1ent on th e balance scale task. Starting with a se t of rules that makes random prediction s, th e system learns from its errors and improves as it gains experience. The tran sition mechanism is a discrimin;!tion process that ~earches for differences between cases in which correct pre dictions are made and cases in which errors are made. The stages through which the system progresses are very similar to tho::;e observed in children. so the model provides an explanation of the observed de•Jelopmental trends. Since the system has no notion of torque , it never acquires the ability to completely predict the balance scale 's behavior; however, it is able to learn heuristically useful rules despite its in co mplete representation of the environment, much as children do.