Computational cognitive modeling explores cognition by building detailed computational models for cognitive processes, mechanisms and representations. Currently, computational cognitive modeling architectures as well as the implementations of cognitive models are typically ad-hoc constructs. There are many variants of architectures to support modeling for a certain domain. The architectures lack a formalization from the computer science point of view. This impedes analysis of the underlying languages and the programmed models.
In his thesis, Daniel Gall presents how cognitive models in the popular cognitive architecture Adaptive Control of Thought – Rational (ACT-R) can be formalized and analyzed with the help of formal methods that come from the field of logic programming. In particular, analysis methods of the declarative programming language Constraint Handling Rules (CHR) are used and extended, such that ACT-R models can be analyzed.