5 décembre 2008
Lawrence Barsalou présentera "Grounding Knowledge in the Brain's Modal Systems"
- Intervenant : Lawrence Barsalou
- Laboratoire : Department of Psychology - Emory University - Atlanta
- Date prévue : 5 décembre 2008 à 11h00
- Lieu : Amphi de la MSH Alpes
- Titre : Grounding Knowledge in the Brain's Modal Systems
- Abstract : The conceptual system in the brain contains categorical knowledge that supports online
processing (perception, categorization, inference, action) and offline processing (memory,
language, thought). Semantic memory, the dominant theory of the conceptual system,
typically portrays it as modular and amodal. According to this approach, amodal symbols
represent category knowledge in a modular system, separate from the brain's modal
systems for perception, action, and introspection (e.g., affect, mental states).
Alternatively, the conceptual system can be viewed as non-modular and modal, sharing
representational mechanisms with the brain's modal systems. On a given occasion,
multimodal information about a category's members is reenacted (simulated) across
relevant modalities to represent it conceptually. Behavioral and neural evidence is
presented showing that modal simulations contribute to the representation of object
categories and abstract categories, and to the symbolic operations of predication and
conceptual combination. Further evidence demonstrates that these simulations are
situated, containing information about background situations central to goal-directed
action. Evidence also shows that language as well as simulation plays central roles in
conceptual processing.
