1992 — 1993 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
R01Activity Code Description: To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. |
Semantic Memory in Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Disease @ University of Southern California
DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The goal of this research is to examine semantic memory impairments associated with DAT. The research focuses on the cognitive and linguistic causes of the impairments in object naming and in the comprehension of object names that are characteristic of the disease. The theoretical framework for this work is provided by connectionist models of the lexicon, which address the representation of lexical knowledge and the computation of lexical codes in comprehension and production. This framework provides a basis for clarifying the distinction between deficits in semantic representation and in the "access" of semantic information that has been the focus of previous research. The comprehension and use of object names is seen as a complex skill with multiple components that can be individually impaired, resulting in different degrees of impairment and types of errors. The core of the project is a series of behavioral studies examining detailed aspects of patients' use of object names and their knowledge of concepts and categories, focusing on impairments in different types of features or attributes and in their frequencies and intercorrelations. The principal goal is to develop an account of how different types of damage to the normal system result in patients' word-finding and comprehension deficits, and systematic object naming errors. The data will also be used as part of a longer-term project in which the goal is to develop an account of lexical deficits in DAT over the course of the disease within a general computational model of lexical processing.
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0.954 |
1994 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
R01Activity Code Description: To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. |
Semantic Memory in Normal Aging and Alzheimers Disease @ University of Southern California
DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The goal of this research is to examine semantic memory impairments associated with DAT. The research focuses on the cognitive and linguistic causes of the impairments in object naming and in the comprehension of object names that are characteristic of the disease. The theoretical framework for this work is provided by connectionist models of the lexicon, which address the representation of lexical knowledge and the computation of lexical codes in comprehension and production. This framework provides a basis for clarifying the distinction between deficits in semantic representation and in the "access" of semantic information that has been the focus of previous research. The comprehension and use of object names is seen as a complex skill with multiple components that can be individually impaired, resulting in different degrees of impairment and types of errors. The core of the project is a series of behavioral studies examining detailed aspects of patients' use of object names and their knowledge of concepts and categories, focusing on impairments in different types of features or attributes and in their frequencies and intercorrelations. The principal goal is to develop an account of how different types of damage to the normal system result in patients' word-finding and comprehension deficits, and systematic object naming errors. The data will also be used as part of a longer-term project in which the goal is to develop an account of lexical deficits in DAT over the course of the disease within a general computational model of lexical processing.
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0.954 |
1995 — 1999 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
K02Activity Code Description: Undocumented code - click on the grant title for more information. |
Normal and Disordered Language Processing @ University of Southern California
This proposal is an application for a Research Scientist Development Award (RSDA). The principal objective to be achieved during the tenure of the requested award is the pursuit of theoretical and empirical research on normal and disordered visual word recognition. Word recognition is a central component of reading and has also provided a domain in which to explore general issues concerning processing and the representation of knowledge. Impairments in this capacity are observed both developmentally and as a consequence of brain injury. The applican has been engaged in a program of research whose goal is the development of an integrated theory of normal and impaired lexical processing. A central aspect of this work is the implementation of detailed "connectionist" models of the lexicon. These models suggest general principles governing the acquisition of word processing skills and the nature of skilled performance. Developmental anomalies are simulated by changing the initial configuration of the network model; impairments following brain injury are simulated by "lesioning" the model of normal performance. The simulations are assessed with respect to behavioral data concerning performance on tasks such as reading words aloud and making word-nonword discriminations. On-going research uses both modeling and behavioral approaches to address current issues in word recognition; the division of labor among components of the lexical processing system; nonword pronunciation. The applicant's plan is to significantly enlarge the scope of the project during the period of the RSDA, in three respects: (a) developing the semantic component of the model; (b) simulating patterns of semantic impairment associated with different types of neuropathology (Alzheimer's disease, herpes encephalitis, stroke), and (c) exploring the application of the same computational principles to the processing of words in context. The RSD would provide release time from other commitments that would make it possible to pursue these new directions. The RSDA would also allow the applicant to acquire additional skills in computational modeling and in neurobiology needed in order to develop the research in these directions
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0.954 |
1997 — 2001 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
P01Activity Code Description: For the support of a broadly based, multidisciplinary, often long-term research program which has a specific major objective or a basic theme. A program project generally involves the organized efforts of relatively large groups, members of which are conducting research projects designed to elucidate the various aspects or components of this objective. Each research project is usually under the leadership of an established investigator. The grant can provide support for certain basic resources used by these groups in the program, including clinical components, the sharing of which facilitates the total research effort. A program project is directed toward a range of problems having a central research focus, in contrast to the usually narrower thrust of the traditional research project. Each project supported through this mechanism should contribute or be directly related to the common theme of the total research effort. These scientifically meritorious projects should demonstrate an essential element of unity and interdependence, i.e., a system of research activities and projects directed toward a well-defined research program goal. |
Representation and Processing of Words and Sentences @ Carnegie-Mellon University
This project will examine basic phenomena concerning word and sentence processing using a set of theoretical principles derived from the connectionist/parallel distributed processing framework. The proposed research is a continuation of the previous project "Normal and Disordered Word Identification and Naming," which resulted in the development of a general theory of word recognition in reading based on these principles, the implementation of computational models that instantiate parts of the theory, the assessment of such models against behavioral data, and the acquisition of new data testing predictions derived from this an competing theories. The specific aims of the project are: 1. To develop current computational modeling architechtures that will address a) division of labor between components of the word recognition system in determining the meanings of words b) phonological representation and the reading of multisyllabic words, the assignment of syllabic stress; and c) morphological structure and the reading go of multimorphemic words; focusing on variations in the degree of morphological transparency. 2. To extend the framework to questions concerning the processing of words in sentences. Specific foci will include a)the representation of verbs and their argument structures; b) the use of multiple, interacting, probabilistic constraints in resolving local syntactic ambiguities; and c)the effect on sentence processing of structural constraints owing to the architecture of the language comprehension system and the sequential nature of language comprehension. 3. To develop a next-generation architecture that will be used to address issues related to the temporal nature of language, focusing on a) how underlying representations for temporally structured knowledge develop under the constraints imposed by the serial nature of comprehension and production; and b) how the degree of shared structure among constituents (e.g.; phonemes, morphemes, words) within the representations provides insight into graded similarity effects in human language performance. 4. In addition to this theoretical and computational work, we will also acquire critical behavioral data in each area, focusing on individual differences in division of labor; peoples~ performance in assigning syllabic stress to novel words; and effects of degree of morphological transparency in cross-modal priming.
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0.934 |
1998 — 2002 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
R01Activity Code Description: To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. |
Behavioral and Computational Studies of Morphology @ University of Wisconsin Madison
DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): This proposal describes research on inflectional and derivational morphology and their role in reading and related tasks. Morphology is the aspect of language concerning the forms of words. The issues to be addressed concern how this information is represented in lexical memory; how it relates to other types of information including orthography, phonology, and semantics; and how it is used in processing. The research utilizes both behavioral studies of skilled language users and computer simulation modeling. The issues are framed in terms of connectionist principles concerning knowledge representation, acquisition, and processing that were developed in previous research on reading simple, monomorphemic words. The proposed research attempts to extend this theoretical framework to the processing of more complex words. The main emphasis of the research is on the quasiregular character of inflectional and derivational morphology: the fact that both systems are productive and can be described as "rule-governed" but also admit many exceptions that deviate from what is predicted from the rules. These phenomena have standardly been treated within dual-route models of lexical access in which there are separate mechanisms for the rule-governed cases and exceptions. Connectionist models provide an alternative approach in which all forms are governed by a single network. The experiments focus on phenomena that differentiate the dual- and single mechanism approaches in both inflectional and derivational domains. The theoretical account is also tested by implementing computational models with the goal of simulating behavioral data in close detail.
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1 |
1998 — 2000 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
T32Activity Code Description: To enable institutions to make National Research Service Awards to individuals selected by them for predoctoral and postdoctoral research training in specified shortage areas. |
Training in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience @ University of Southern California
This proposal is a request for funds to support 3 predoctoral and 1 postdoctoral trainees in the area of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience. Cognitive Neuroscience is an emerging discipline at the intersection of the cognitive and neurosciences. The goal of this research is to understand human behavior in terms of its brain bases. Computational modeling plays an essential role in this endeavor, providing a theoretical framework for understanding both high level cognition and basic brain mechanisms. The goal of the training program is to develop future cognitive neuroscientists who will be able to advance the goal of understanding brain- behavior relationships, using computational modeling as a primary tool. The preceptors are 12 faculty from the neuroscience doctoral program and the departments of psychology, linguistics, and computer science, from which trainees will be drawn. Research activities focus on three substantive areas: language; vision; and learning and memory. The training plan focuses on courses and other activities that will allow trainees to integrate cognition, computational, and neurosciences approaches in conducting research in these areas. The plan for the postdoctoral position focuses on permitting a student trained in psychology or linguistics to gain additional expertise related to cognitive and computational neuroscience.
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0.954 |
2000 — 2004 |
Seidenberg, Mark S |
K02Activity Code Description: Undocumented code - click on the grant title for more information. |
Studies of Reading and Language Processing @ University of Southern California
neural information processing; reading; psycholinguistics; language; dyslexia; computational neuroscience; semantics; communication behavior; developmental psychology; neuropsychology; behavioral /social science research tag; human subject;
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1 |