Localist Connectionist Approaches To Human Cognition

Localist Connectionist Approaches To Human Cognition
Author: Jonathan Grainger
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 378
Release: 2013-06-17
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1134804024

This volume provides an overview of a relatively neglected branch of connectionism known as localist connectionism. The singling out of localist connectionism is motivated by the fact that some critical modeling strategies have been more readily applied in the development and testing of localist as opposed to distributed connectionist models (models using distributed hidden-unit representations and trained with a particular learning algorithm, typically back-propagation). One major theme emerging from this book is that localist connectionism currently provides an interesting means of evolving from verbal-boxological models of human cognition to computer-implemented algorithmic models. The other central messages conveyed are that the highly delicate issue of model testing, evaluation, and selection must be taken seriously, and that model-builders of the localist connectionist family have already shown exemplary steps in this direction.

Rethinking Implicit Memory

Rethinking Implicit Memory
Author: Jeffrey S. Bowers
Publisher: Psychology
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2003
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0192632329

Implicit memory refers to a change in task performance due to an earlier experience that is not consciously remembered. The topic of implicit memory has been studied from two quite different perspectives for the past 20 years. On the one hand, researchers interested in memory have set out to characterize the memory system (or systems) underlying implicit memory, and see how they relate to those underlying other forms of memory. The alternative framework has considered implicit memory as a by-product of perceptual, conceptual, or motor systems that learn. That is, on this view the systems that support implicit memory are heavily constrained by pressures other than memory per se. Both approaches have yielded results that have been valuable in helping us to understand the nature of implicit memory, but studied somewhat in isolation and with little collaboration. This volume is unique in explicitly contrasting these approaches, bringing together world class scientists from both camps in an attempt to forge a new approach to understanding one of the most exciting and important issues in psychology and neuroscience. Written for postgraduate students and researchers in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, this is a book that will have an important influence on the direction that future research in this field takes.

Reading Complex Words

Reading Complex Words
Author: Egbert M.H. Assink
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2013-06-29
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1475737203

This book brings together current research findings on the involvement of word-internal structure for the purpose of word reading (especially morphological structure). The central theme of reading complex words is approached from several angles, such that the chapters span a wide variety of topics where this issue is important. It is a valuable resource for all researchers studying the mental lexicon and to those who teach advanced courses in the psychology of language.

Reading as a Perceptual Process

Reading as a Perceptual Process
Author: A. Kennedy
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 771
Release: 2000-08-04
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0080515762

This book is divided into five sections dealing with various fundamental issues in current research: attention, information processing and eye movement control; the role of phonology in reading; syntax and discourse processing and computational models and simulations. Control and measurement of eye movements form a prominent theme in the book. A full understanding of the where and when of eye movement control is a prerequisite of any complete theory of reading, since it is precisely at this point that perceptual and cognitive processes interact. Amongst the 'hot topics' included are the relation between parafoveal and foveal visual processing of linguistic information, the role of phonology in fluent reading and the emergence of statistical 'tuning' approaches to sentence parsing.Also discussed in the book are three attempts to develop quantitative models of reading which represent a significant departure in theory-building and a quantum step in the maturation of reading research. Much of the work reported in the book was first presented at the 5th European Workshop on Language Comprehension organised in April 1998 which was held at the CNRS Luminy Campus, near Marseilles. All contributions summarise the state-of-the-art in the relevant areas of reading research.

Cognitive Processing in Second Language Acquisition

Cognitive Processing in Second Language Acquisition
Author: Martin Pütz
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
Total Pages: 383
Release: 2010-03-19
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9027288321

This edited volume represents state of the field research linking cognition and second language acquisition, reflecting the experience of the learner when engaged in noticing, input/output processing, retrieval, and even attrition of target forms. Contributions are both theoretical and practical, describing a variety of L1, L2 and L3 combinations from around the world as observed in spoken, written, and computer-mediated contexts. The book relates conditions of language, task, medium or environment to how learners make decisions about language, with discussions about the application or efficacy of these conditions on linguistic success and development, and pedagogical implications.

Exploring Cognition: Damaged Brains and Neural Networks

Exploring Cognition: Damaged Brains and Neural Networks
Author: Gillian Cohen
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 481
Release: 2013-12-19
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1317710126

An innovative, topical and engaging reader to accompany advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses in cognition Presents a unique collection of key articles by leading international researchers in cognition, cognitive neuropsychology and connectionism Brings together in one place articles that challenge or inform traditional theories of cognition Spotlights current areas of debate and controversy in cogntive psychology of interest to students and researchers alike Editors are widely known in their fields and are authors of successful textbooks Introduction and linking sections provide essential context and evaluation

Cognition and Pragmatics

Cognition and Pragmatics
Author: Dominiek Sandra
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
Total Pages: 419
Release: 2009-12-09
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9027289204

The ten volumes of Handbook of Pragmatics Highlights focus on the most salient topics in the field of pragmatics, thus dividing its wide interdisciplinary spectrum in a transparent and manageable way. While other volumes select philosophical, grammatical, social, variational, interactional, or discursive angles, this third volume focuses on the interface between language and cognition. Language use is impossible without the mobilization of a large variety of cognitive processes, each serving a different purpose. During the last half century cognitive approaches to language have been particularly successful, and the broad spectrum of contributions to this volume testify to this success. As cognitive approaches to language are by definition a subset of the larger enterprise of cognitive science, a contribution on this general topic sets the stage. This is joined by a chapter on cognitive grammar, a theoretical study of the architecture of human language that is deeply inspired by general cognitive principles. A chapter on experimentation offers a crash-course on basic issues of experimental design and on the rationale behind statistical testing in general and the most important statistical tests in particular, offering a methodological toolkit for understanding many of the other contributions. Different chapters cover a broad range of topics: language acquisition, psycholinguistics, specialized topics within the latter field (e.g. the bilingual mental lexicon, categorization), and aspects of language awareness. Some chapters home in on what have become indispensible perspectives on the cognitive underpinnings of language: the way language is represented and processed in the human brain and simulation studies. The ever-growing success of the latter type of studies is exemplified, for instance, by the highly flourishing connectionist tradition and the more general paradigm of artificial intelligence, each of which is dealt with in a separate contribution.

Working Memory in Perspective

Working Memory in Perspective
Author: Jackie Andrade
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2002-06-01
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1134616457

The Baddeley and Hitch (1974) Working Memory model holds a central place in experimental psychology and continues to be extremely successful in guiding and stimulating research in applied and theoretical domains. Yet the model now faces challenges from conflicting data and competing theories. In this book, experienced researchers in the field address the question: Will the model survive these challenges? They explain why it is so successful, evaluate its weaknesses with respect to opposing data and theories and present their vision of the future of the model in their particular area of research. The book includes a discussion of the "Episodic Buffer" component which has recently been added to the working memory model. The result is a comprehensive and critical assessment of the working memory model and its contribution to current research in human cognition, cognitive development, neuroscience and computational modelling. Furthermore, this collection serves as a case study to illustrate the range of factors that determine the success or failure of a theory and as a forum for discussing what researchers want from scientific theories. The book begins with an accessible introduction to the model for those new to the field and explains the empirical methods used in working memory research. It concludes by highlighting areas of consensus and suggesting a programme of research to address issues of continuing controversy. Working Memory in Perspective will be a valuable resource to students and researchers alike in the fields of human memory, language, thought and cognitive development.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Bilingualism

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Bilingualism
Author: John W. Schwieter
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 261
Release: 2023-09-30
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1108187145

This book offers an introduction to the bilingual brain. It is a useful resource for researchers and students, bringing together various theories and research approaches in the cognitive neuroscience of bilingualism and a state-of-the-art overview of empirical findings on this topic from various perspectives.