Midterm 2

Question 1

In a simple recurrent network, what is the name of the layer that has both feedforward and feedback loops with the hidden layer?

Answer 1

Context Layer

Question 2

Define the critical period for language learning (length of time and definition).

Answer 2

Time: Infancy - 3yrs.
Definition: The length of time that neural connections in the brain are at peak efficiency for learning a language.

Question 3

What is the subset principle?

Answer 3

A principle of learning theory states that whenever there are two competing grammars for a language where one is a subset of another, the child will select the less inclusive grammar.

Question 4

What is the hierarchy of language processing, and define each level of description briefly.

Answer 4

Pragmatics -> social lang. use
Semantics -> the meaning of language
Syntax -> structure of lang.
Morphology -> structure of words
Phonology -> sounds of lang.

Question 5

From Spivey’s text, explain Marslen-Wilson’s (1987) theory on spoken word recognition.

Answer 5

As acoustic input for a word begins, it activates all the lexical representations that begin with that input and as more inputs are recieved, some of those representations become omitted, and before the end of the acoustic input, the correct representation is chosen.

Question 6

What is Broca’s aphasia?

Answer 6

Trouble with language production.

Question 7

Differentiate between surface dyslexia and deep dyslexia.

Answer 7

Surface: Poor mapping between conventions of written lang. (orthography) and phonology
Deep: surface dyslexia + poor mapping between orthography and semantics

Question 8

What lobe of the brain is Wernicke’s area located in?

Answer 8

Temporal lobe

Question 9

What are speech errors caused by?

Answer 9

Random noise and neural connectivity pattern!

Question 10

What areas of the brain are involved in the Wernicke-Gerschwind model of language?

Answer 10

Angular gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area, and primary auditory cortex

Question 11

Define classical conditioning.

Answer 11

A stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus, and the neutral stimulus over time elicits a response similar to the original stimulus.

Question 12

What is the retrograde messenger involved in Hebbian learning?

Answer 12

Nitric Oxide

Question 13

What timescales do sensory memory, working memory, and associative memory function at?

Answer 13

Milliseconds, seconds, and semi-permanence

Question 14

In a neural network, how does working memory function at the hidden layer?

Answer 14

Through recurrent feedback

Question 15

Describe a Hopfield network (connections, how units are updated, feedback, layers, and learning algorithm used).

Answer 15

Symmetric connections, units updated one at a time randomly, no self-feedback, no hidden units, and an unsupervised learning network.

Question 16

What connects the retina to the lateral geniculate nucleus?

Answer 16

Optic nerve

Question 17

What do the rods and cones “see”?

Answer 17

Rods see black and white, Cones see color.

Question 18

Differentiate between the magnocellular pathway and the parvocellular pathway.

Answer 18

Magnocellular -> low spatial resolution, fast-cell response, and color insensitive
Parvocellular -> high spatial resolution, slow cell response, and color sensitive

Question 19

Describe the “what” and “where” visual systems.

Answer 19

What -> ventral pathway, starts from occipital lobe and goes to the temporal lobe

Where -> dorsal pathway -> starts from occipital lobe and goes to parietal lobe

Question 20

As detailed as possible, describe how light enters the eye and how it’s processed by the brain from start to finish.

Answer 20

Light -> cornea -> lens -> pigmented layer of retina (rods and cones) -> outer plexiform layer (horizontal cells) -> inner plexiform layer (amacrine cells) via bipolar cells -> ganglion cells -> optic nerve -> LGN -> V1 -> dorsal & ventral streams

Question 21

Name one area of cognitive science.

Answer 21

Anthropology, linguistics, neuroscience, computer science, just name something honestly.

Question 22

Name three different things you can do with a degree in cognitive science.

Answer 22

Data scientist, researcher, cognitive engineering, professor, psychologist, doctor, etc…

Question 23

Name one issue (out of three) that Spivey’s chapter mentioned with linear accounts for visual processing.

Answer 23

Lateral projections within visual cortical areas
Recurrent synaptic projections between visual cortical areas
Frequent eye movements during visual perception

Question 24

Operant conditioning

Answer 24

Does not require a response to be triggered by a stimulus. Ex. Positive and negative reinforcement.

Question 25

Wernickes aphasia

Answer 25

Deficit in language comprehension

Question 26

Alexia

Answer 26

Inability to read

Question 27

Agraphia

Answer 27

Inability to write.

Question 28

Back propagation

Answer 28

Requires a teacher

Question 29

Basal ganglia

Answer 29

Collection of brain areas responsible for voluntary motor responses.

Question 30

Operant conditioning

Answer 30

Reinforcement and punishment.

Question 31

Primal sketch

Answer 31

Color, orientation, motion, luminance

Question 32

2.5 D sketch

Answer 32

Shape,texture, velocity, depth

Question 33

3D sketch

Answer 33

Full image to be presented to the rest of the brain for inspection.

Question 34

In a visual search that requires a conjunction of two features to find the target object, reaction time:

Answer 34

Increases linearly with the increase in distract or objects.

Question 35

What cause visual aftereffects and afterimages

Answer 35

Highly responsive cells becoming adapted of fatigued during extended exposure.

Question 36

What is the time span of iconic memory?

Answer 36

A few hundred milliseconds

Question 37

To say language comprehension is “incremental”

Answer 37

The brain processes spoken linguistic input continuously as it it being heard.

Question 38

The “what” visual pathway through the ventral stream of the brain codes for:

Answer 38

Combination of color, texture, and shape that form object representations.

Question 39

Retrograde amnesia

Answer 39

Prexisting memories are lost

Question 40

Anterograde amnesia

Answer 40

Ability to memorize new things is impaired