Using Machine Learning to Guide Cognitive Modeling: A Case Study in Moral Reasoning
- Mayank Agrawal, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Joshua Peterson, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Tom Griffiths, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
AbstractLarge-scale behavioral datasets enable researchers to use complex machine learning algorithms to better predict human behavior, yet this increased predictive power does not always lead to a better understanding of the behavior in question. In this paper, we outline a data-driven, iterative procedure that allows cognitive scientists to use machine learning to generate models that are both interpretable and accurate. We demonstrate this method in the domain of moral decision-making, where standard experimental approaches often identify relevant principles that influence human judgments, but fail to generalize these findings to ``real world'' situations that place these principles in conflict. The recently released Moral Machine dataset allows us to build a powerful model that can predict the outcomes of these conflicts while remaining simple enough to explain the basis behind human decisions.