THE REWARDS AND HAZARDS OF COMPUTER-SIMULATIONS

Although computer simulations and other modeling tools have assumed a pivotal role in cognitive psychology, their utility continues to be qu estioned by some psychologists. This article presents several examples that illustrate both rewards and potential hazards associated with th e simulation approach. Simulations can provide the formal framework ne cessary to disambiguate new ideas, they can explore the implications o f complex models, and they can predict seemingly counterintuitive find ings or uncover hidden relationships. At the same time, care must be t aken to avoid pitfalls that may arise when computer code inadvertently differs from the intended specifications of a theory, or when predict ions derive not from fundamental properties of a theory but from pragm atic choices made by the modeler.