2 research outputs found
A localist implementation of the Primacy model of immediate serial recall
We present a localist, connectionist implementation of the Primacy model of immediate serial recall. We demonstrate a connectionist ordering mechanism which is localist and activation-based rather than based on association and illustrate the parallels between the Primacy model and current connectionist models of speech production. This enables us to give an integrated explanation both of phonological errors in short-term memory and of errors in speech production
Modelling serial order in behaviour: studies of spelling
Serial order in behaviour remains an interesting problem for computational modelling in
psychology, especially for connectionist approaches. The 'Competitive Queuing' (CQ)
approach to sequence generation has the advantage of accounting for a number of
common features apparent in several different types of serial behaviour. This thesis
addresses the general account which the CQ approach can give for constraints on serial
errors within sequences by developing models of an acquired disorder of spelling,
'graphemic buffer disorder' (GBD). Two approaches to the development of a simple
initial model of GBD into more complex models are demonstrated, and are related to
the general problem of accounting for serial category constraints in sequencing.
The initial CQ model of GBD is based on an existing model of speech production with
minimal spelling-specific changes. A number of shortcomings are identified in the
I performance of this model, in particular the inability to distinguish consonant and vowel
letters, which prevents a striking feature of GBD errors - the preservation of
consonant/vowel status - from being modelled. An analysis of the general problem of
adding domain-specific constraints to CQ models suggests two approaches to
improving the initial model. Two alternative extended models are thus advanced. The
first is a development of the initial model incorporating an external template to specify
consonant/vowel information. Simulations with this model demonstrate a much improved fit to :the data. The second model" develops a novel architecture, generalising
the CQ approach to multi-layer networks. The model is less detailed but demonstrates
the correct general features of the GBD error pattern. The relationship between the
models is discussed and possible future research directions are identified