1987: Benjamin O. Martin. Comparing a simulation to an experiment: Some observations concerning methodology in cognitive science.
1988: Two winners. (1) Jocelyn K. Tyras. Null subjects, children, and parameters: Do we really need a null subject parameter? (2) Robert N. Bernard. Writing stories about a main character.
1989: Marsha C. Lovett. Retrieval in analogical problem solving of graph theoretic algorithms.
1990: William A. Cohen. Cognitive and motivational consequences of discovery learning.
1991: Anthony V. Bastardi. Inferring preferences: some implications for avoiding decisional conflict.
1992: Howard Neurthaler. Moral judgments and the compatibility principle.
1993: Leora Feigenblum. Acquisition of functional categories: a longitudinal study of child speech.
1994: Dario Salvucci. Intelligent tutor for algebra.
1995: Douglas L. T. Rohde. Modeling the dual-pathway system for practice-related verbal associative learning.
1996: Bryan Duff. Situating metonymic reference within a language processing model.
1997: Shima C. Sokol, The effects of orthography on information processing in Japanese, Chinese and English.
1998: Mark Edward Johns, A mental model theory of Wason's THOG problem
1999: Peter Bach-y-Rita, What it takes to have something in mind
2000: Tina L. Lai, The cognitive basis of lucid dreaming: individual differences in attention and control
2001: Andrew Shtulman, Intuitive evolution: are we predisposed to misunderstand Darwinism?
2002: Elizabeth Cameron Kellogg, From the hands of babes: applying language acquisition theories to American sign language
2003: Sharon Fox, Caravaggio in a new light: theories of light in his paintings and the scientific basis for its emotive effects.
2004: Mark Rogerson, Blindsearch? Dissociation and integration of dorsal stream processing in visual search.
2005: Allison Barnes, Through the Looking Glass: Irrational Preference Reversals in Different Evaluation Modes.
2006: James F. Niemasik, Dynamic Online Learning in a Hierarchical Graphical Model of Cortex.
2007: Anouk Schneider, VAMP (Voting Agent Model of Preferences): A Computational Model of Individual Decision-Making that Applies Voting Geometry to Multialternative Choice.