Cognitive Interfaces Constraints on Linking Cognitive Information

by van de Zee, Emile; Nikanne, Urpo

• ISBN13: 9780198299615
• ISBN10: 0198299613
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-04-12
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This book brings new perspectives to bear on the the architecture of the mind and the relationship between language and cognition. It considers how information is linked in the mind between different cognitive and expressive levels - so that people can, for example, talk about what they seeand act upon what they hear - and how these linkages are and need to be constrained. The book is concerned in particular with the perception and representation of spatial structure. In the opening chapter the editors address the general issues underlying current research and set each chapter in context. The book is then divided into four parts. The first two discuss the properties of the conceptual to syntactic structure interface and the conceptual to spatial structureinterface. Part three examines constraints on the lexical interface and the different kinds of cognitive information in word representations. Part four considers how the neural architecture of the brain constrains mapping relations between different kinds of cognitive information. The authors are psychologists and linguists. They show the insights that can be gained from the joint deployment of theoretical linguistic and experimental psychological research and the value of a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of mind, brain, and language.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Abbreviations	x
List of Figures	xi
Introducing Cognitive Interfaces and Constraints on Linking Cognitive Information	1	(20)
Emile van der Zee
Urpo Nikanne
Part One: Constraints on the Conceptual-Structure-to-Syntactic-Structure Interface
Multiple Interfaces	21	(33)
Christer Platzack
Introduction	21	(5)
The Computational System	26	(4)
Conceptual Arguments for Multiple Interfaces	30	(8)
Chains	38	(8)
The Left Periphery	46	(6)
Concluding Discussion	52	(2)
Constituent Linking Between Conceptual Structure and Syntactic Structure	54	(23)
Lars Hellan
Introduction	54	(2)
Lexical Meaning as Reflected in Conceptual Indexing	56	(4)
Constructional Meaning as Reflected in Conceptual Indexing	60	(9)
Track-Keeping Indexing and its Relation to Conceptual Indexing	69	(4)
Concluding Discussion	73	(4)
Part Two: Constraints on the Conceptual-Structure-to-Spatial-Structure Interface
Some Restrictions in Linguistic Expressions of Spatial Movement	77	(17)
Urpo Nikanne
Introduction	77	(1)
Organization of Mental Modules	78	(2)
Conceptual-Structure Constraints of `Figure'	80	(6)
Dealing with Paths	86	(7)
Concluding Discussion	93	(1)
Object Use and Object Location: The Effect of Function on Spatial Relations	94	(22)
Laura A. Carlson
Introduction	94	(8)
The Influence of Function on Choosing a Reference Frame	102	(5)
The Influence of Function on Imposing a Reference Frame	107	(4)
How Function Influences Reference Frames	111	(4)
Concluding Discussion	115	(1)
Retrieving Spatial Relations From Observation and Memory	116	(27)
David J. Bryant
Barbara Tversky
Margaret Lanca
Retrieving Spatial Relations from Observation and Memory	116	(6)
Experiment 1: Responding from Memory or Observation: Surrounding Spatial Array	122	(8)
Experiment 2: Responding from Memory or Observation: External Spatial Array	130	(7)
Concluding Discussion	137	(6)
Part Three: Constraints on the Lexical Interface
Why We Can Talk About Bulging Barrels and Spinning Spirals: Curvature Representation in the Lexical Interface	143	(42)
Emile van der Zee
Introduction	143	(1)
Representational Modularity	144	(3)
How to Encode Curvature Distinctions for Language?	147	(8)
The Formal Structure of CS Representations	155	(3)
The Lexical Structure of Dutch Nouns that Refer to Curvature Distinctions	158	(2)
The Lexical Structure of Dutch Verbs that Refer to Extrinsic Path Curvature	160	(3)
The Lexical Structure of Dutch Verbs that Refer to Intrinsic and/or Extrinsic Path Curvature	163	(5)
Verbs that Refer to Geon Axis Deformation	168	(3)
Verbs that Refer to Geon Axis Extension	171	(3)
Adjectives and Adverbs that Refer to Curvature Distinctions	174	(5)
Concluding Discussion	179	(6)
Part Four: Constraints on `Interfaces' From a Connectionist Perspective
Developing Relations	185	(30)
Michael Gasser
Eliana Colunga
Linda B. Smith
Introduction	185	(1)
Representing Relations	186	(3)
Five Facts about Relations	189	(11)
A New Proposal about Relational Representations	200	(13)
Concluding Discussion	213	(2)
Temporal Bounds on Interfaces	215	(20)
Jon M. Slack
Introduction: The Architecture of Language	215	(2)
Diachronic Structure and PF	217	(3)
Synchronic Structure and LF	220	(8)
Synchronicity---Two, Three, or Four Relationships?	228	(1)
X-Bar Theory and Synchronic Structure	229	(3)
Dual System of Representation	232	(3)
References	235	(18)
Notes on Contributors	253	(2)
Subject Index	255	(2)
Name Index	257