Dr. John Hummel

Biography

John E Hummel is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois. His research primarily involves cognitive psychology, focusing on themes such as representation and processing of relational information. He explores how humans perceive and reason about relations, particularly in the context of language and cognitive abilities that distinguish human thought from that of animals. Hummel investigates the neural architectures, including both biological brains and artificial neural networks, that facilitate these processes. His work includes empirical research with human subjects, as well as the development and testing of computational models such as the LISA model, which addresses analogical reasoning and cognitive development of relational concepts. His studies also delve into how the encoding of relations can influence perception and categorization of objects, and how individuals generate explanations that affect their judgments. Hummel is involved in educating students at the University of Illinois, particularly in the realm of relational perception and thinking.

Research Interests