Sciweavers

COGSCI
2007

Semantic Boost on Episodic Associations: An Empirically-Based Computational Model

13 years 11 months ago
Semantic Boost on Episodic Associations: An Empirically-Based Computational Model
Words become associated following repeated co-occurrence episodes. This process might be further determined by the semantic characteristics of the words. The present study focused on how semantic and episodic factors interact in incidental formation of word associations. First, we found that human participants associate semantically related words more easily than unrelated words; this advantage increased linearly with repeated co-occurrence. Second, we developed a computational model, SEMANT, suggesting a possible mechanism for this semantic-episodic interaction. In SEMANT, episodic associations are implemented through lateral connections between nodes in a pre-existent self-organized map of word semantics. These connections are strengthened at each instance of concomitant activation, proportionally with the amount of the overlapping activity waves of activated nodes. In computer simulations SEMANT replicated the dynamics of associative learning in humans and led to testable predictio...
Yaron Silberman, Shlomo Bentin, Risto Miikkulainen
Added 12 Dec 2010
Updated 12 Dec 2010
Type Journal
Year 2007
Where COGSCI
Authors Yaron Silberman, Shlomo Bentin, Risto Miikkulainen
Comments (0)