Worm holes in memory: Is memory one representation or many?

摘要: Worm holes in memory: Is memory one representation or many? Dirk U. Wulff (Wulff@mpib-berlin.mpg.de) Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany Thomas T. Hills (T.T.Hills@warwick.co.uk) Department of Psychology, University Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL, UK Ralph Hertwig (Hertwig@mpib-berlin.mpg.de) Abstract The analogy space to human cognition has a long- standing tradition. Our study aims elaborate on the validity this search memory. Using associative framework (SAM) we show that people are able dynamically recruit independent representations recall country names. By instructing participants use specific cues also despite strong effect retrieval sequence, total from remains unaffected. Whereas these findings strongly support higher dimensionality than often assumed, simultaneous finding severe time costs non-default suggests particular structures may be adaptive. In sum, our results local-to-global strategies similar foraging space, but further suggest is not constrained local representation, indeed many. Keywords: Free recall; verbal fluency task; representation; Search Associative Memory (SAM). Introduction long been considered represent high- dimensional landscape over which information. recent proliferation semantic models, acquire similarity words based statistical processing text corpora implicitly characterizes as embodying such representation. This idea new. his “Principles Psychology” William James wrote “We make ... just rummage house lost object“ (1890, p. 654), suggesting comparable space. But how it? Research spatial imagery and cognitive maps mental operations share much common with way move around physical world (e.g. Kosslyn, Ball, Reiser, 1978). Almost all models long-term incorporate dimension (inverse distance) order explain priming serial position effects Anderson, & Pirolli, 1984; Brown, Neath, Chater, 2007). Shepherd’s account distance (Shepard, Metzler, 1971), well categorization Nosofsky, 1988), conceptual landscape, items reside near another less apart. Underlying approaches an implicit assumption, highlighted by James. If searching like rummaging object, there (i.e., representation) Could item more if so, does facilitate better another? memories multiple representations, presents problem many existing knowledge representation—that is, especially those produce Moreover, would exemplify feature clearly separates space: outside wormholes, only get point travel between them. Memory, other hand, have no constraints. Before describe investigated possibility first some previous research relationship Space Following memory, colleagues recently put forth model wherein free produces patterns can predicted classical theorem optimal theory, marginal value (Hills, Jones, Todd, 2012). theory describes switching explorative exploitative response patchy resource environments. Further supporting notion internal external Hills, Goldstone (2008) found primes lexical task, shared process both domains.