| Recent projects | Publications | PhD-Thesis | Teaching |

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My major interest is development of learning. In adult category learning different learning processes have been distinguished, such as rational learning (forming explicit, rule-based representations) and associative learning (forming exemplar-based representations). How do different learning mechanisms develop from infancy into adolescence? An important focus of my research is the measurement issue: how can we detect different learning mechanisms in a reliable way such that we account for possible individual differences. I apply statistical, latent variable techniques to account for inter-individual differences (within the same age group different children show different learning processes) and intra-individual differences (within the course of one learning task, the learning process may change). I study science learning as a specific context. Also in science learning, people acquire different types of knowledge, implicit and explicit knowledge. We study learning processes, including exploration, causal reasoning and mental models.

Current projects concern: causal reasoning and exploration (in controled and informal settings), learning rule-based category structures in infancy, development of rule-use in toddlers, computational models of learning, mathematical models of learning, development of naïve theories, comparative analysis of learning processes.

Participation in the infant research: www.HoeLerenBabies.nl

Publications

 

International (refereed) journals

 

Mandell, D.J. & Raijmakers M.E.J. (in press). Using a single feature to discriminate and form categories: The interaction between color, form and exemplar number. Infant Behavior & Development.

Visser, I., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2012). Developing Representations of Compound Stimuli. Frontiers in Psychology, 3(March), 1-11.

Schmittmann, V. D., van der Maas, H. L. J., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2012). Distinct discrimination learning strategies and their relation with spatial memory and attentional control in 4- to 14-year-olds.Journal of experimental child psychology, 111(4), 644-62.

van Bers, B. M. C. W., Visser, I., van Schijndel, T. J. P., Mandell, D. J. and Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2011). The Dynamics of Development on the Dimensional Change Card Sorting task.Developmental Science.

Van Schijndel, T. J. P., Franse, R. K., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2010). The Exploratory Behavior Scale: Assessing young visitors hands-on behavior in science museums. Science Education, 94(5), 794-809.

Van Schijndel, T.J.P., Singer, E., Maas, H. van der, & Raijmakers, M. (2010). A programme and young children exploratory play in the sandpit. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 7: 5, 603 — 617.

Schmittmann, V. D., Dolan, C. V., Raijmakers, M. E. J., & Batchelder, W. H. (2010). Parameter identification in multinomial processing tree models.Behavior research methods, 42(3), 836-46.

Kan, KJ, Ploeger, A. , Raijmakers M.E.J., Dolan, C.V., & van der Maas, H.L.J. (2010). Nonlinear Epigenetic Variance: Review and Simulations. Developmental Science, 1 - 17.

Raijmakers, M. E. J., Coffey,E., Stevenson, C., Winkel, J., & Berkeljon, A. (2009). An ART neural network model of discrimination shift learning. The annual meeting of the cognitive science society Amsterdam, p. 791 – 796.

Visser, I., Pothos, E., and Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2009). Individual Strategies in Artificial Grammar Learning. American Journal of Psychology, 122 (3), p, 293-308.

Van der Maas, H. L. J., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2009). Transitions in cognitive development: prospects and limitations of a neural dynamic approach. In J.P. Spencer, M. Thomas, & J. McClelland (Eds). Toward a New Grand Theory of Development: Connectionism and Dynamic Systems Theory Re-Considered. To be published by Oxford University Press.

Visser, Ingmar, Verena Schmittmann, & Maartje E.J. Raijmakers (2009). Hidden Markov Models for Individual Time Series. To appear in Valsiner, J. & Molenaar, PCM (eds). Dynamic Process Methodology in the Social and Developmental Sciences. Springer Verlag New York.

Ploeger, A., van der Maas, H.L.J., Raijmakers, M.E.J., & Galis, F. (2009). Why did the savant syndrome not spread in the population? A psychiatric example of a developmental constraint. Psychiatry Research, 166, 85-90.

vanEs, S.E., vanSchijndel, T.J.P., Franse, R., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2009). Children’s thoughts on unborn babies: Representational redescription in preconceptions of children on fetal development. The annual meeting of the cognitive science society Amsterdam , p. 112 – 117.

Ploeger, A., van der Maas, H.L.J., & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2008). Is evolutionary psychology a metatheory for psychology? A discussion of four major issues in psychology from an evolutionary developmental perspective. Psychological Inquiry, 19, 1-18.

Ploeger, A., van der Maas, H.L.J., & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2008). Is evolutionary developmental biology a viable approach to the study of the human mind? (Reply to commentaries). Psychological Inquiry, 19, 41-48.

van Duijvenvoorde, A.C.K., Zanolie K., Rombouts, S.A.R.B., Raijmakers, M.E.J., and Crone E.A. (2008). Evaluating the Negative or Valuing the Positive? Neural Mechanisms Supporting Feedback-Based Learning across Development. J. Neurosci. 28: 9495-9503

Jansen, Brenda R. J., Maartje E. J. Raijmakers, and Ingmar Visser (2007). Belief change on the balance scale task. Synthese, 155(2), p. 211-236.

Visser, I., Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2007). Characterizing Sequence Learning: Online Measures and Hidden Markov Models Show Associations and Dissociations. Memory & Cognition, 35(6), p.1502-1517.

 

Schmittmann, V. D., Visser, I., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (2006). Multiple learning modes in the development of performance on a rules-based category-learning task. Neuropsychologia, 44 (11), 2079 -91.

van der Maas, H.L.J., Dolan, C.V., Grasman, R.P.P.P., Wicherts, J.M., Huizinga, H.M., Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2006). A dynamical model of general intelligence: The positive manifold of intelligence by mutualism. Psychological Review, Vol. 113 (2006), p. 842-861

van der Maas, H.L.J. ,  M.E.J. Raijmakers, & Visser, I. (2005). Inferring the Structure of Latent  Class Models Using a Genetic Algorithm. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments & Computers, 37(2), pp. 340-352.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2004). Modeling developmental transitions in Adaptive Resonance Theory. Developmental Science, 7(2), 149-157.

Raijmakers, M.E.J., Jansen, B.R.J. & van der Maas, H.L.J. (2004). Rules and Development in Triad Classification Task Performance. Developmental Review, 24(3), 289-321.

Visser, I., Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2002) Fitting hidden Markov models to psychological data. Scientific Programming, 10, 185-199.

Raijmakers, M.E.J., Dolan, C.V. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2001). Finite Mixture Distribution Models of Simple Discrimination Learning. Memory & Cognition.

Molenaar, P.C.M. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2000). A causal interpretation of Piaget's theory of cognitive development: Reflections on the relationship between epigenesis and nonlinear dynamics. New ideas in psychology, 18(1), p. 41-56.

Molenaar, P.C.M. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2000). A phase transition between localist and distributed representation. Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 23 (4), 486.

Van der Maas, L.J. van der & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2000). A Phase Transition Model for Mother-Child Interaction: Comment on Olthof et al., 2000. Infant and Child Development, 9, 75-83.

Visser, I., Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2000). Confidence intervals for hidden Markov model parameters. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 53, 317-327.

Molenaar, P.C.M. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1999). Additional aspects of third source variation for the genetical analysis of human development and behaviour: a commentary on Eaves et al. Twin Research, 2, 49-62.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1997): Exact ART: A complete implementation of an ART network. Neural Networks, 10(4), 649-669.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1997). Is the learning paradox refuted? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 20(4), p. 573.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1997): Book review van J.L. Elman, E.A. Bates, M.H. Johnson, A. Karmiloff-Smith, D. Parisi, K. Plunkett. Rethinking innateness: a connectionist perspective on development. Acta Psychologica, 97, p. 307-311.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. van der Maas, L.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1996): Numerical Bifurcation Analysis of Distance-Dependent On-Center Off-Surround Shunting Neural networks. Biological Cybernetics, 75, 495-507.

Raijmakers, M.E.J., Van Koten, S., & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1996): On the validity of Simulating Stagewise Development by means of PDP Networks: Application of Catastrophe Analysis and an Experimental Test of Rule-Like Behavior. Cognitive Science, 20 (1): 101-136.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1995): How to decide whether a neural representation is a cognitive concept? Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 18 (4).

 

National (refereed) journals (needs update)

Molenaar, P.C.M. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1994) Reflections on Genetics, Epigenetics and Nonlinear Dynamics. Tijdschrift voor Ontwikkelingspsychologie, 21, (3).

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1994): Simulating Transitions in Cognitive Development by Means of Neural Networks. Tijdschrift voor Ontwikkelingspsychologie, 21(3).

 

Contributions to books/proceedings (needs update)

Visser, Ingmar, Verena Schmittmann, & Maartje E.J. Raijmakers (accepted). Hidden Markov Models for Individual Time Series. To appear in Valsiner, J. & Molenaar, PCM (eds).

Van der Maas, H. L. J., & Raijmakers, M. E. J. (in press). Transitions in cognitive development: prospects and limitations of a neural dynamic approach. In J.P. Spencer, M. Thomas, & J. McClelland (Eds). Toward a New Grand Theory of Development: Connectionism and Dynamic Systems Theory Re-Considered. To be published by Oxford University Press.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2008). Modelling cognitive developmental transitions in neural networks: bifurcations in an adaptive resonance theory model. In: Mareschal, D., Sirois, S., Westermann, G. & Johnson, M. (eds.). Neuroconstructivism: Perspectives and Prospects, Volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 99 – 128.

Berkeljon, A. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2007). An ART Neural Network Model of Discrimination Learning. Proceedings of the IEEE ICDL, Imperial college London, 11 – 13 july 2007 (6 pages).

Schmittmann, V.D. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (2007). Development of reversal shift learning: An individual differences analysis. Proceedings of the IEEE ICDL, Imperial college London, 11 – 13 july 2007 (6 pages).

Visser, Ingmar, Verena Schmittmann, & Maartje E.J. Raijmakers (2007). Markov process models for discrimination learning. In, K. van Montfort, H. Oud & A. Satorra (Eds.), Longitudinal models in the behavioral and related sciences, European Association of Methodology, chapter 14, p. 337-366.

van der Maas, H. L. J., Jansen, B. R. J. & Raijmakers M.E.J. (2004). Developmental patterns in proportional reasoning. In A. Demetriou & A. Raftopoulos (Eds.), Cognitive Developmental Change Theories, Models and Measurement. Cambridge University Press.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2001). A biologically plausible maturation of an ART network. In: French, R.M. & Sougné, J.P (eds.). Connectionist models of learning, development and evolution. Springer-Verlag: London. (p. 83 - 91)

Visser, I., Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (2001). Hidden Markov model interpretations of neural networks. In: French, R.M. & Sougné, J.P (eds.). Connectionist models of learning, development and evolution. Springer-Verlag: London.

Molenaar, P.C.M., Newell, K., Hartelman, P. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1999). Recursive estimation in nonlinear dynamics: Application to the analysis of stage transition and chaos. In: Savelsbergh, G.J.P., van der Maas, L.J. & van Geert, P.L.C. (eds.). Nonlinear developmental processes. Koninklijke Nederlandse Academie van Wetenschappen. Verhandelingen, afd. Letterkunde. Nieuwe reeks, deel 175.

Raijmakers, M.E.J. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1999). A biologically plausible maturation of an ART network. In Mira, J. & Sánchez-Andrés, J.V. (eds.). Foundations and tools for neural modeling. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 1606, 730-736.

Van der Maas, L.J., Raijmakers, M.E.J., Hartelman, P. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (1999). Reaction time as recovery time after perturbation. In: Savelsbergh, G.J.P., van der Maas, L.J. & van Geert, P.L.C. (eds.). Nonlinear developmental processes. Koninklijke Nederlandse Academie van Wetenschappen. Verhandelingen, afd. Letterkunde. Nieuwe reeks, deel 175 (p. 159 - 167).

Molenaar, P.C.M. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1998) Fitting Nonlinear Dynamical Models Directly to Observed Time Series. In: Newell, K.M. & Molenaar, P.C.M. (eds.). Applications of nonlinear dynamics to developmental process modeling. Lawrence Erlbaum Ass., Publishers, Mahwah, NJ.

Raijmakers (1996): An experimental test of rule-like network performance. In G.W. Cottrell (ed.) Proceedings of The Eighteenth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. pg. 827. La Jolla, California. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, Mahwah, New Jersey.

Van der Maas, L.J. & Raijmakers, M.E.J. (1995): Uncertainty in developmental Psychology. In: Chance and Uncertainty. Eds: W. van den Brink, N. van Dijk, J. Bethlehem et al., Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam.