Some of My On-Line Demonstrations for educational purposes
Flash
/ ActionScript These are programs I've
written in Macromedia's Flash MX. You will need the Flash
Player plug-in to view these experiments and applications.
One-Dimensional
Cellular Automata
Simulates a simple cellular automata model as an illustration of the
way in which simple rules can generate complexity, both chaotic and
patterned. This particular application allows you to chose among several
updating rules.
Simulation
of Nowak and Vallacher's Self-System
This application provides a simulation of Nowak and Vallacher's self-system.
In short, this program illustrates the ways in which the dynamics among
an interconnected system of agents can create stable islands of cohesion
within a representational network. This simulation employs two-dimensional
cellular automata, and is implemented using isometrics.
Simple
Spreading Activation Neural Network
A simple eight-node system of interconnected neurons. Place your mouse
pointer over a neuron/node in order to activate it. As the neuron becomes
more active, it passes its activation on to connected neurons. Eventually,
the activation will spread throughout the entire system.
Necker
Cube Example: Illustration of Constraint Satisfaction Dynamics in a
Simple Neural Network
Simulates a simple artificial neural network that represents one of
two interpretations of the Necker cube. With 16 nodes, there are 2^16
possible states in which the network could settle. However, given the
constraints in the system (i.e., the pattern of connections between
nodes), the system reliably settles into one of two states, corresponding
to different interpretations of the cube. (Example from Rumelhart, Smolensky,
McClelland, & Hinton, 1983)
Aggregation
Dynamics
Each agent in this system behaves according to three simple rules: (a)
move around until you're near an agent of similar color, (b) when you
find someone of the same color, settle down, and (c) if you run into
someone of a different color, move around. These simple individual-level
rules produce patterns of segregation at a global level.
Structural
Equation Modeling
This application is designed to allow the user to derive the covariance/correlation
matrix predicted by a system of linear equations. In LISREL fashion,
the user fills in the parameter values of the causal weights and the
correlations among the exogenous (i.e., independent) variables. Once
these theoretical parameters are entered, the program derives the correlation
matrix implied by those parameters. This is a very useful tool for trying
to determine what kinds of quantitative predictions are entailed by
different theoretical models.
Multiple
Regression
This application is designed to allow the user to enter his or her variables
into a spead sheet and then analyze the data using some basic statistics
(e.g., means, standard deviations, and correlations). The program also
allows the user to specify a linear regression model; the program will
estimate the regression weights and compute the r-squared of the model.
The program will also create bivariate scatterplots.
Relationship
Structures
Assesses a person's attachment security in five relationships, and provides
a principal components analysis of the within-person correlation matrix.
On-line Personality Tests and Quizes
This web site, yourPersonality.net, contains a number of on-line personality tests that I've created. Have fun!