Cognitive science is a multidisciplinary science concerned
with understanding and utilizing models of cognition. It has
spawned a great dealof research on applications such as
expert systems and intelligent tutoring systems, and has
interacted closely with psychological research. However, it
is generally accepted that it is difficult to apply
cognitive-scientific models to medical training and
practice.
This book is based on a NATO Advanced Research Workshop held
in Italy in 1991, the purpose of which was to examine the
impact ofmodels of cognition on medical training and
practice and to outline future research programmes relating
cognition and education, and in particular to consider the
potential impact of cognitive science on medical training
and practice.
A major discovery presented in the book is that the research
areas related to artificial intelligence, cognitive
psychology, and medical decision making are considerably
closer, both conceptually and theoretically, than many of
the workshop participants originally thought.