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Lecture 3. Representation close to the sensory surface(or Piaget was right)
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Jean Piaget
Cognitive development as a progressive differentiation of intelligence from sensory-motor processes, as a moving away from the here and now of perceiving and acting.
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Jean Piaget
To Piaget, the A not-B error was important because it showed how immature thought was tied to the sensory-motor surface
The A not-B error - an example of sensori-motor intelligence
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A trials
The A not B error in 8 to 10 month olds
A not-B error
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A trials
The A not B error
A not-B error
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A trials
The A not B errorA 3 to 5 second delay
A not-B error
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A trials
The A not B error
This is repeated 4 - 6 times
A not-B error
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B trials
The A not B error
A not-B error
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B trials
The A not B error3 - 5 sec delay
A not-B error
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B trials
The A not B taskThe A not B error: an error of spatial perseveration
A not-B error
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Jean Piaget
For Piaget, the error reflected an inabilityto represent objects independently of their sensory-motor interactions with those objects (a lack of theso-called object concept).
For the infant the mental object is inseparable from the location of bodily actions.
Piaget was right, it is a sensory-motor representation, a sensory-motor form of intelligence, that underlies the error
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The error reveals a fundamental aspect about all of human cognition
about how human cognition is grounded --through the sensory-motor system --to the physical world
functional, effective, human cognition -- no matter how abstract, no matter how advanced it becomes --
is tied to here-and-now reality, through perception and action
reality-based cognition
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The plan:
1. Overview of a dynamic systems account of the A not-B error2. How right Piaget was: this is sensory-motor thought3. How these same processes are generally fundamental to human
cognition, how early word learners link names to things4. Grounding and intelligence that transcends the here and now5. Extension of the dynamic systems model to the grounding of word
learning
reality-based cognition
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Dynamic systems accounts attempt to explain real time behavior as it happens in a task
•Smith, Thelen, Titzer & McLin (1999) Knowing in the context of reaching: The task dynamics of the A-not-B error. Psychological Review, 106, 235-260.•Thelen, Schoner, Scheier, & Smith (2001) The dynamics of embodiment: A field theory of infant perseverative reaching. Target article, Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 24, 1-86.•Spencer, Smith, & Thelen (2001) Tests of a dynamic systems account of the A-not-B error: The influence of prior experience on the spatial memory abilities of two-year-olds. Child Development, 72, 1327-1346.•Smith & Thelen (2003) Development as a dynamic system. Trends in Cognitive Science, 7, 343-348.•Smith, L. B. (2005) Cognition as a dynamic system: Principles from embodiment. Developmental Review•Clearfield, M. W., Diedrich, F. J., Smith, L. B., & Thelen, E. (2006). Young infants reach correctly in A-not-B tasks: On the development of stability and perseveration. Infant Behavior & Development, 29(3), 435-444. •Smith, Spencer & Samuelson (in preparation) The role of space in binding names to things.•Smith, Clearfield, Diedrich & Thelen (in preparation). Piaget was right: representation close to the sensory surface.
Dynamic Field Model
An account in terms of performance, motor plans,reaching to locations in visual space
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Dynamic systems accounts attempt to explain real time behavior as it happens in a task
Dynamic Field Model
An account in terms of performance, motor plans,reaching to locations in visual space
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A transient visual event instigates a goal to reach
A task analysis of reaching to a location in space
Dynamic Field Model
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Persistent visual cues that direct and distract the reach direction
Dynamic Field Model
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Memories for recent reaches
Dynamic Field Model
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The body’s position at the moment of the reach
Dynamic Field Model
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Transient inputs
Tonic inputs
Memories for past actionsand events
The body’s position
TIME
acti
vati
on
space
The dynamic field model
A movement planning field
Dynamic Field Model
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time
A B
Task input Specific input
Generate reach plan
Dynamic Field Model
Memory for just previous reaches.
The lids on the table The hiding event
The activity in the movement planning field is driven by two sensory fields and by a motor memory
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The time evolution of activation in the planning field on the first A trial.The activation rises as the object is hidden and, owing to self-organizing propertiesin the field, is sustained during the delay.
The time evolution of activation inthe planning field on the first B trial. There is heightened activation at A before the hiding event, owing to memory for prior reaches. As the object is hidden at B, activation rises at B, but as this transient event ends, owing to the memory propertiesof the field, activation at A declines and that at B rises.
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Children make the error because their memory for the desired object is realized in the processes that plan (and remember) spatially directed action -- because the object (in this task) is bound to the location of action.
Piaget is right
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Jean Piaget
Objects represented in terms of sensory-motor interactions, in terms of bodily actions in space.
Piaget is right
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The plan:
1. Overview of a dynamic systems account2. How right Piaget was: this is sensory-motor thought3. How these same processes are generally fundamental to human
cognition, how early word learners link names to things4. Grounding and intelligence that transcends the here and now5. Extension of the dynamic systems model to the grounding of word
learning
Piaget is right
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8 to 10 month olds6 A trials, 2 B trials3 sec delay
at the sensory surface
A not-B experiments with infants
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Claim 1: The processes that remember objects and create the error are processes tied to acting in space
general processes of visually directed action
at the sensory surface
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No hidden object
embedded in the processes that keep track of even in-view objects, embedded in the processes that take a hand to that object’s location in space
The A not B error with no hidden object!
at the sensory surface
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time
A B
Task inputThe lids on the
table
Specific inputThe hiding
event
Generate reach plan
Memory is carried over to the next trial.
Claim 2: The visual events in the task drive the activations in the motor planning field and in so doing create the error
at the sensory surface
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Increasing the attention-grabbing properties during the hiding of A increases the error; increasing the potency of the B hiding event decreases the error
We can make the error come and go at will by manipulating onlythese aspects
The error is a blend of (a competition between) the strength of the more immediate memory of the B event and the memory for just previous events (and actions) at A
The specific input (the hiding event, the transient cue that signals the target):
at the sensory surface
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Increasing the attention-grabbing properties of the persistently presentvisual input increases and decreases the likelihood of the error
We can make the error increase by increasing the salience of the A lid,And make it decrease by increasing the salience of the B lid
The error is a blend --an integration -- of the memory for the specific input (the hiding event), the persistent visual cues (the lids on the table), and previous actions
The task input (tonic persistent cues, the lids)
at the sensory surface
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time
A B
Task inputThe lids on the
table
Specific inputThe hiding
event
Generate reach plan
Memory is carried over to the next trial.
Claim 3: The decision field is continuously coupled to the world through the body
at the sensory surface
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From the baby’s view
at the sensory surface
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Pulling attention to the left --midreach -- pulls the reach to to the left; pulling attention to the right -- midreach-- pulls the reach to the right.
at the sensory surface
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Where the infant searches for the object is tied to where the infant looks, to the spatial orientation of the body, and that orientation is tightly tied to the events in the world
at the sensory surface
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Claim 4: The processes that remember objects, actions, locations in space --and that tie them to one another -- are very much in the language of the body
at the sensory surface
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A sensory-motor intelligence
A trials (6 trials): SIT B trials (2 trials): STAND
SIT TO STANDSTAND TO SITSIT-SIT VISUAL DISTRACTION BETWEEN A AND BSTAND-STAND (visual distraction)
NO ERROR!
THE USUAL ERROR
at the sensory surface
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The processes that keep track of objects in space are tightly tied to the body’s position in space
at the sensory surface
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Perturbing babies’ bodies between A and B trials: Wrist weights (to both arms)
error
error
NO ERROR
NO ERROR
A trials B trials
No weight No weight
100% arm weight 100% arm weight
No weight 100% arm weight
100% arm weight No weight
Control
Exp.
*
*the experimenter pretended to put weights on/off between A and the B trials
at the sensory surface
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The memories that make the error --that tie objects to locations -- take place in the processes that plan action such that a change in posture or a change in the feel of the arm resets those plans and those memories.
at the sensory surface
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Jean Piaget
Piaget was right
at the sensory surface
the object is represented in the infant’s own perceptions and actions
close to the sensory surface, through bodily interactions in space
This is not just about immaturity, it is a fundamental truth about all of human cognition
This is sensory-motor intelligence -- .
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The plan:
1. Overview of a dynamic systems account2. How right Piaget was: this is sensory-motor thought3. How these same processes are generally fundamental to human
cognition, how early word learners link names to things4. Grounding and intelligence that transcends the here and now5. Extension of the dynamic systems model to the grounding of word
learning
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Word learning
Children say their first word by 12 months
By 18 months 100 wordsBy 24 months 300 wordsBy 36 months 1500 wordsBy 48 months 4000 words
Binding names to things
The processes that bind actions, objects, and locations (and make the A not-B error) also bind names to things
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The phenomenon (Baldwin, 1993):
Very young word learners (20 month olds)map names to objects even when those names and objects are experienced separated in time.
Binding names to things
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MODI!
Where is the modi?
TimeBinding names to things
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MODI!
Time
Linked by space
Where is the modi?
Spa
ce
Binding names to things
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A trial B trial
time
Children reach and look to locations to interact with objects and objects become bound to those actions and locations, creating an error
A not-B
Binding names to things
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time
There is a modiin here
Look at this
Binding names to things
Children reach and look to locations to interact with objects. If -- as in the A not-B task --objects become bound to those locations of action, can children be using those locations to solve Baldwin’s task, to map a name to a thing?
Binding names to things
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Claim 1. It’s about space.
If children link the name to the object through a spatial location, weakening the link between the object and its location `should weaken children’s ability to map the name to the intended referent.
Binding names to things
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3: MODI
Step 4:
Step 5:
No switch
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3: MODI
Step 4:
Step 5:
Switch
Step 6:
Where is the modi?
Step 6:
Where is the modi?
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Design:
•18 to 20 months of age (n = 24)•half in Switch condition half in No Switch condition•Side of target and target object counterbalanced
Results: No switch (consistent spatial cue) 73%Switch (less consistent spatial cue) 46%
Binding names to things
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In the task, children are learning about the relations between objects and theirlocations in space and using this relation to map a not present object to the name.
Binding names to things
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Claim 2. It is not specifically about hidden objects
If children use the body’s direction of attention to bind the name to thing, then the buckets -- and the ruse of hiding objects and naming things inside them-- should be irrelevant.
Binding names to things
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 4:
Step 5:
Step 3: MODIPoint to spoton table andsay “Modi”
Step 6:
Where is the modi?
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Design:
•children 19 to 20 months (n = 16)•4 test trials•Side labeled/target object counterbalanced
across children
Results:
71% of the time chose the spatiallylinked object
Binding names to things
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This tells us the phenomenon is notabout hidden objects.
Rather, it may be about how objects, actions, and locations are bound --and thus remembered -- together.
Binding names to things
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Claim 3. It’s really about the body’s direction of attention.
Binding names to things
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 4:
Step 5:
Step 3: MODIClick to the leftand say “Modi”
Step 6:
Where is the modi?
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If it is the body’s direction of attention that matters --and not a specific location in space-- pulling attention generally to the left during the naming event should activate memories for the object seen on the left and the name should be linked to that object.
Binding names to things
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Design:
•children 19 to 20 months (n = 16)•Half the subjects click to right/half click to left•4 test trials
Results:
68% of the time chose the spatiallylinked object
Binding names to things
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It is not a location per se, but where one looks, real time perception and action.
Binding names to things
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Claim 4. Its about integrating over space and time
Binding names to things
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 6:
Where is the modi?
A not-B error in mapping names
Step 5: MODI
Step 3:
Step 4:
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Input at the momentof naming
Memories for objectsrecently bound to that direction of attention
Infant’s actions in space at that moment
MODI
On the leftLook left
Binding names to things
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Results (chose the temporally linked object)
40%
16 children (18 to 20 months)
Side of target and target object counterbalanced
Binding names to things
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The prior experience of seeing one object consistently on the left, disrupted linkinga name to a different but physically present object when attention was directed to the left.
Where one looks, selects and activatesmemories, enabling one to bind events in the just previous past to those in the present.
Binding names to things
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Claim 6. Close to the sensory surface
A posture shift experiment
Binding names to things
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 4: MODI
Step 3: Stand up!
Posture shift
Step 5:
Where is the modi?
5 sec delay
While sitting
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 4: MODI
Step 3: Stand up!
Posture shift
Step 2:
Step 4: MODI
Step 3: Visual distraction and clapping
No Posture shift
Step 5:
Where is the modi?
Step 5:
Where is the modi?
Step 1:
5 sec delay5 sec delay
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Results:posture shift: 50% (chance)visual distraction: 70% (target choice)
The memory for the object is inprocesses tightly tied to the body’s orientation in space
Stand-standSit-SitSit-StandStand-Sit
Binding names to things
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1. The processes that make the A not-B error show a sensory-motor intelligence, a grounding of cognition in perception and action, an in-the-moment product of the body’s spatial interaction in a physical world.
2. The processes that make the error also do real cognitive work beyond infancy. They are not even specific to the A not-B error, to a deficit in intelligence, but are instead fundamental to how human cognition is grounded to reality -- in the moment -- through perceiving and acting.
In the world through our bodies
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The plan:
1. Overview of a dynamic systems account2. How right Piaget was: this is sensory-motor thought3. How these same processes are generally fundamental to human
cognition, how early word learners link names to things4. Grounding and intelligence that transcends the here and now5. Extension of the dynamic systems model to the grounding of word
learning
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Jean Piaget
Cognitive development as a progressive differentiation of intelligence from sensory-motor processes, as a moving away from the here and now of perceiving and acting.
Grounded and transcendent
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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3: MODI
Step 4:
Step 5:
Step 6:
Where is the modi?
Using space to bind the nameto the thing, but then the linktranscends location in space
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In the here and now, through perceiving and acting, children naturally link
the object and the direction of attention while seeing it
the word and the direction of attention while hearing it
Rea
l tim
e an
d sp
ace
C
ogni
tion
The word bound to the object
Grounded and transcendent
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The plan:
1. Overview of a dynamic systems account2. How right Piaget was: this is sensory-motor thought3. How these same processes are generally fundamental to human
cognition, how early word learners link names to things4. Grounding and intelligence that transcends the here and now5. Extension of the dynamic systems model to the grounding of word
learning
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A dynamic field model:
Words-space field
Word-Object field
Dynamic fields coupled in real time
Object-space field The dynamics of the fields operate just as in the motor planning field; activation risesand falls in real time, as a consequence of sensory input, sensori-motor memories, and the cooperativity (lateral inhibition and excitation)in the fields
Coupled -- activation in each field drives activation in the others
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An object-space field
Different objects Spatial location
Act
ivat
ion
This point corresponds to an attended object at a particular location
The object-spacefield is a sensory-motor field.It represents attention to an object at a location
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An word-space field
Tthe word-spacefield is a sensory-motor field.It represents a word and the locationof attention when the word is heard
Different words
Act
ivat
ion
Spatial location
This point corresponds to a word heard whileattending to aa particular location
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An object-word field
This is an associationfield. The object-wordfield binds an object toa word.
Act
ivat
ion
Different objects Different wordsAct
ivat
ion
This point corresponds to a word andthe object to which it refers.There is no representation of space in this field.
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
drivenby the input
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
The activationin the Word-Objectis driven byby the activation in the other two fields
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
a flower
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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MODI!
Time
Spa
ce
Binding names to things
Where is the modi?
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
Input driven
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
“Look, look at this”
ridges of activationof activation corresponding to the object and locationbut no word
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The field maintains a memory of the binoculars at that location
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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“Look, look a this”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
ridges of activationof activation corresponding to the object and locationbut no word
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The field remembers the activations associated with thetwo objects and their respective directions of attention
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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The experimenter directs attention to a location and says “Modi’”
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
memory
Inputdriven
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
Modi!
A mapping in the word-object field, even though the wordand object were not experienced together
An inferencemade through attention in space
but no longer linked to space
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Memory for objects, locations, and word -- and the associations between them.
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Where is the modi?
Objects at new locations for test
Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Where is the modi?Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Where is the modi?Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Where is the modi?Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
Modi!
Attention should be directed toward and the child should choose the intended referent
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Object-Space
Word-Space
Word-Object
Modi!
Attention should be directed toward and the child should choose the intended referent
Solving the reference problemBinding cognitive contents to each other
with space
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the processes that transcend the here and now --
are made in and realized through the here and now of perceiving and acting
From real time processes to cognition
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The A not B error is not about immaturity, but rather revealing of a deep truth
about how human cognition is grounded in
and transcends the here and now
through a sensory-motor system
bound in time and spaceto the physical world
Piaget was right
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the [sensory-motor] interaction unites the organism to the environment and which…. is so close and direct that objects exist in that sensory-motor interaction
The construction of reality in the child
In the world through our bodies
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.Melissa ClearfieldFred DiedrichLarissa SamuelsonAdam SheyaGregor SchonerJohn SpencerEsther Thelen
NIMH and NICHHD
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