TY - JOUR A1 - Patil, Umesh A1 - Vasishth, Shravan A1 - Lewis, Richard L. T1 - Retrieval Interference in Syntactic Processing: The Case of Reflexive Binding in English JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - It has been proposed that in online sentence comprehension the dependency between a reflexive pronoun such as himself/herself and its antecedent is resolved using exclusively syntactic constraints. Under this strictly syntactic search account, Principle A of the binding theory—which requires that the antecedent c-command the reflexive within the same clause that the reflexive occurs in—constrains the parser's search for an antecedent. The parser thus ignores candidate antecedents that might match agreement features of the reflexive (e.g., gender) but are ineligible as potential antecedents because they are in structurally illicit positions. An alternative possibility accords no special status to structural constraints: in addition to using Principle A, the parser also uses non-structural cues such as gender to access the antecedent. According to cue-based retrieval theories of memory (e.g., Lewis and Vasishth, 2005), the use of non-structural cues should result in increased retrieval times and occasional errors when candidates partially match the cues, even if the candidates are in structurally illicit positions. In this paper, we first show how the retrieval processes that underlie the reflexive binding are naturally realized in the Lewis and Vasishth (2005) model. We present the predictions of the model under the assumption that both structural and non-structural cues are used during retrieval, and provide a critical analysis of previous empirical studies that failed to find evidence for the use of non-structural cues, suggesting that these failures may be Type II errors. We use this analysis and the results of further modeling to motivate a new empirical design that we use in an eye tracking study. The results of this study confirm the key predictions of the model concerning the use of non-structural cues, and are inconsistent with the strictly syntactic search account. These results present a challenge for theories advocating the infallibility of the human parser in the case of reflexive resolution, and provide support for the inclusion of agreement features such as gender in the set of retrieval cues. KW - sentence processing KW - anaphor resolution KW - memory retrieval KW - interference KW - computational modeling KW - eye tracking Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00329 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 7 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - THES A1 - Nicenboim, Bruno T1 - Dependency resolution as a retrieval process T1 - Dependenzauflösung als ein Gedächtnisabrufsprozess BT - experimental evidence and computational modeling BT - experimentelle Evidenz und komputationelle Modellierung N2 - My thesis focused on the predictions of the activation-based model of Lewis and Vasishth (2005) to investigate the evidence for the use of the memory system in the formation of non-local dependencies in sentence comprehension. The activation-based model, which follows the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational framework (ACT-R; Anderson et al., 2004), has been used to explain locality effects and similarity-based interference by assuming that dependencies are resolved by a cue-based retrieval mechanism, and that the retrieval mechanism is affected by decay and interference. Both locality effects and (inhibitory) similarity-based interference cause increased difficulty (e.g., longer reading times) at the site of the dependency completion where a retrieval is assumed: (I) Locality effects are attributed to the increased difficulty in the retrieval of a dependent when the distance from its retrieval site is increased. (II) Similarity-based interference is attributed to the retrieval being affected by the presence of items which have similar features as the dependent that needs to be retrieved. In this dissertation, I investigated some findings problematic to the activation-based model, namely, facilitation where locality effects are expected (e.g., Levy, 2008), and the lack of similarity-based interference from the number feature in grammatical sentences (e.g., Wagers et al., 2009). In addition, I used individual differences in working memory capacity and reading fluency as a way to validate the theories investigated (Underwood, 1975), and computational modeling to achieve a more precise account of the phenomena. Regarding locality effects, by using self-paced reading and eye-tracking-while reading methods with Spanish and German data, this dissertation yielded two main findings: (I) Locality effects seem to be modulated by working memory capacity, with high-capacity participants showing expectation-driven facilitation. (II) Once expectations and other potential confounds are controlled using baselines, with increased distance, high-capacity readers can show a slow-down (i.e., locality effects) and low-capacity readers can show a speedup. While the locality effects are compatible with the activation-based model, simulations show that the speedup of low-capacity readers can only be accounted for by changing some of the assumptions of the activation-based model. Regarding similarity-based interference, two relatively high-powered self-paced reading experiments in German using grammatical sentences yielded a slowdown at the verb as predicted by the activation-based model. This provides evidence in favor of dependency creation via cue-based retrieval, and in contrast with the view that cue-based retrieval is a reanalysis mechanism (Wagers et al., 2009). Finally, the same experimental results that showed inhibitory interference from the number feature are used for a finer grain evaluation of the retrieval process. Besides Lewis and Vasishth’s (2005) activation-based model, also McElree’s (2000) direct-access model can account for inhibitory interference. These two models assume a cue-based retrieval mechanism to build dependencies, but they are based on different assumptions. I present a computational evaluation of the predictions of these two theories of retrieval. The models were compared by implementing them in a Bayesian hierarchical framework. The evaluation of the models reveals that some aspects of the data fit better under the direct access model than under the activation-based model. However, a simple extension of the activation-based model provides a comparable fit to the direct access model. This serves as a proof of concept showing potential ways to improve the original activation-based model. In conclusion, this thesis adds to the body of evidence that argues for the use of the general memory system in dependency resolution, and in particular for a cue-based retrieval mechanism. However, it also shows that some of the default assumptions inherited from ACT-R in the activation-based model need to be revised. N2 - Die vorliegende Dissertation befasst sich mit dem Aktivierungsmodell von Lewis und Vasishth (2005) um die Evidenz für die Verwendung des Arbeitsgedächtnisses bei der Bildung nicht-lokaler Dependenzen in der menschlichen Satzverarbeitung zu untersuchen. Das Aktivierungsmodell, welches auf der ‘Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational’ (ACT-R; Anderson et al., 2004) aufbaut, wird in der Literatur herangezogen, um Lokalitätseffekte und Interferenz durch Ähnlichkeit mit einem von Interferenz und Gedächtnisverfall betroffenen merkmalsbasierten Gedächtnisabrufmechanismus zu erklären. Sowohl Lokalitätseffekte als auch (inhibitorische) Interferenz durch Ähnlichkeit führen zu einer erhöhten Verarbeitungsschwierigkeit (z.B. längere Lesezeiten) an der Stelle, wo die Dependenz gebildet wird und daher ein Gedächtnisabruf anzunehmen ist: (I) Lokalitätseffekte werden durch die erhöhte Schwierigkeit erklärt, die mit dem Abruf des ersten Teils einer Dependenz einhergeht, wenn dessen Distanz zu der Stelle, die den Gedächtnisabruf auslöst (d.h. der zweite Teil der Dependenz), vergrößert wird. (II) Interferenz durch Ähnlichkeit wird dadurch erklärt, dass der Gedächtnisabruf von der Anwesenheit von Elementen mit denselben Merkmalen wie die des abzurufenden Teils der Dependenz beeinträchtigt wird. In dieser Dissertation untersuche ich einige Erkenntnisse, die das Aktivierungsmodell herausfordern, namentlich fazilitatorische Effekte an Stellen, wo Lokalitätseffekte zu erwarten wären (z.B. Levy, 2008), sowie die Abwesenheit von Interferenz durch Ähnlichkeit in Experimenten, die den Numerus manipulieren (z.B. Wagers et al., 2009). Des Weiteren verwende ich Messwerte der individuellen Unterschiede in der Arbeitsgedächtnisleistung und in der Leseflüssigkeit um die untersuchten Theorien zu validieren, und komputationale Modellierung um ein genaueres Bild der untersuchten Phänomene zu zeichnen zu können. Was die Lokalitätseffekte angeht, so werden in dieser Dissertation hauptsächlich zwei Erkenntnisse vorgestellt, die auf mit Selbst-gesteuertem-Lesen und Eyetracking erhobenen Daten zum Spanischen und Deutschen basieren. (I) Lokalitätseffekte scheinen von der Arbeitsgedächtniskapazität moduliert zu werden: Probanden mit hoher Arbeitsgedächtniskapazität zeigen erwartungsgesteuerte fazilitatorische Effekte. (II) Wenn Erwartungen und andere potentielle Störvariablen durch geeignete Baselines kontrolliert werden, können bei Probanden mit starkem Arbeitsgedächtnis verlangsamte Lesezeiten (d. h., Lokalitätseffekte) und bei Probanden mit schwachem Arbeitsgedächtnis verkürzte Lesezeiten beobachtet werden. Während Lokalitätseffekte mit dem Aktivierungsmodell vereinbar sind, zeigen Simulationen, dass die fazilitatorischen Effekte der Probanden mit schwächerem Arbeitsgedächtnis nur dann von dem Aktivierungsmodell erklärt werden können, wenn einige der Modellannahmen geändert werden. Was Interferenz durch Ähnlichkeit angeht, so werden in dieser Dissertation zwei Experimente mit Selbst-gesteuertem-Lesen zum Deutschen vorgestellt, die eine relativ hohe statistische Teststärke haben. Grammatische Sätze führen hier zu verlangsamten Lesezeiten am Verb, wie es das Aktivierungsmodell vorhersagt. Diese Ergebnisse sind Evidenz für die Bildung von Dependenzen mittels merkmalsbasiertem Gedächtnisabruf und können nicht durch einen wie von Wagers et al. (2009) vorgeschlagenen Reanalysemechanismus erklärt werden. Letztendlich werden dieselben empirischen Daten, die durch den Numerus ausgelöste inhibitorische Interferenz zeigen, für eine detailliertere, simulationsbasierte Betrachtung des Gedächtnisabrufprozesses verwendet. Neben dem Aktivierungsmodell von Lewis und Vasishth (2005) kann auch das Modell eines direkten Gedächtniszugriffs von McElree (2000) die inhibitorische Interferenz erklären. Beide Modelle nehmen für die Bildung von Dependenzen einen merkmalsbasierten Gedächtniszugriffsmechanismus an, aber sie fußen auf unterschiedlichen Annahmen. Ich stelle eine komputationale Evaluation der Vorhersagen dieser beiden Gedächtniszugriffsmodelle vor. Um die beiden Modelle zu vergleichen, werden sie als Bayessche hierarchische Modelle implementiert. Die Evaluation der Modelle zeigt, dass einige Aspekte der empirischen Daten besser von McElrees Modell als von Lewis’ und Vasishths Modell erklärt werden. Eine einfache Erweiterung des Aktivierungsmodells erklärt die Daten jedoch ähnlich gut wie McElrees Modell. Kurz, diese Dissertation liefert weitere Evidenz für die These, dass das allgemeine Gedächtnissystem — und ein merkmalsbasierter Abrufmechanismus im Besonderen — beim Bilden linguistischer Dependenzen Anwendung findet. Es wird jedoch auch gezeigt, dass einige der Standardannahmen, die das Aktivierungsmodell von der ACT-R-Architektur geerbt hat, überdacht und angepasst werden müssen. KW - linguistics KW - working memory KW - computational modeling KW - Sprachwissenschaft KW - Arbeitsgedächtniss KW - komputationale Modellierung Y1 - 2016 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Laurinavichyute, Anna A1 - von der Malsburg, Titus T1 - Semantic attraction in sentence comprehension JF - Cognitive science N2 - Agreement attraction is a cross-linguistic phenomenon where a verb occasionally agrees not with its subject, as required by grammar, but instead with an unrelated noun ("The key to the cabinets were horizontal ellipsis "). Despite the clear violation of grammatical rules, comprehenders often rate these sentences as acceptable. Contenders for explaining agreement attraction fall into two broad classes: Morphosyntactic accounts specifically designed to explain agreement attraction, and more general sentence processing models, such as the Lewis and Vasishth model, which explain attraction as a consequence of how linguistic structure is stored and accessed in content-addressable memory. In the present research, we disambiguate between these two classes by testing a surprising prediction made by the Lewis and Vasishth model but not by the morphosyntactic accounts, namely, that attraction should not be limited to morphosyntax, but that semantic features of unrelated nouns equally induce attraction. A recent study by Cunnings and Sturt provided initial evidence that this may be the case. Here, we report three single-trial experiments in English that compared semantic and agreement attraction and tested whether and how the two interact. All three experiments showed strong semantically induced attraction effects closely mirroring agreement attraction effects. We complement these results with computational simulations which confirmed that the Lewis and Vasishth model can faithfully reproduce the observed results. In sum, our findings suggest that attraction is a more general phenomenon than is commonly believed, and therefore favor more general sentence processing models, such as the Lewis and Vasishth model. KW - agreement attraction KW - computational modeling KW - sentence processing; KW - similarity-based interference KW - semantic attraction Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13086 SN - 0364-0213 SN - 1551-6709 VL - 46 IS - 2 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Laubrock, Jochen A1 - Cajar, Anke A1 - Engbert, Ralf T1 - Control of fixation duration during scene viewing by interaction of foveal and peripheral processing JF - Journal of vision N2 - Processing in our visual system is functionally segregated, with the fovea specialized in processing fine detail (high spatial frequencies) for object identification, and the periphery in processing coarse information (low frequencies) for spatial orienting and saccade target selection. Here we investigate the consequences of this functional segregation for the control of fixation durations during scene viewing. Using gaze-contingent displays, we applied high-pass or low-pass filters to either the central or the peripheral visual field and compared eye-movement patterns with an unfiltered control condition. In contrast with predictions from functional segregation, fixation durations were unaffected when the critical information for vision was strongly attenuated (foveal low-pass and peripheral high-pass filtering); fixation durations increased, however, when useful information was left mostly intact by the filter (foveal high-pass and peripheral low-pass filtering). These patterns of results are difficult to explain under the assumption that fixation durations are controlled by foveal processing difficulty. As an alternative explanation, we developed the hypothesis that the interaction of foveal and peripheral processing controls fixation duration. To investigate the viability of this explanation, we implemented a computational model with two compartments, approximating spatial aspects of processing by foveal and peripheral activations that change according to a small set of dynamical rules. The model reproduced distributions of fixation durations from all experimental conditions by variation of few parameters that were affected by specific filtering conditions. KW - scene perception KW - spatial frequencies KW - fixation durations KW - computational modeling Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1167/13.12.11 SN - 1534-7362 VL - 13 IS - 12 PB - Association for Research in Vision and Opthalmology CY - Rockville ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jäger, Lena Ann A1 - Engelmann, Felix A1 - Vasishth, Shravan T1 - Retrieval interference in reflexive processing: experimental evidence from Mandarin, and computational modeling JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - We conducted two eye-tracking experiments investigating the processing of the Mandarin reflexive ziji in order to tease apart structurally constrained accounts from standard cue-based accounts of memory retrieval. In both experiments, we tested whether structurally inaccessible distractors that fulfill the animacy requirement of ziji influence processing times at the reflexive. In Experiment 1, we manipulated animacy of the antecedent and a structurally inaccessible distractor intervening between the antecedent and the reflexive. In conditions where the accessible antecedent mismatched the animacy cue, we found inhibitory interference whereas in antecedent-match conditions, no effect of the distractor was observed. In Experiment 2, we tested only antecedent-match configurations and manipulated locality of the reflexive-antecedent binding (Mandarin allows non-local binding). Participants were asked to hold three distractors (animate vs. inanimate nouns) in memory while reading the target sentence. We found slower reading times when animate distractors were held in memory (inhibitory interference). Moreover, we replicated the locality effect reported in previous studies. These results are incompatible with structure-based accounts. However, the cue-based ACT-R model of Lewis and Vasishth (2005) cannot explain the observed pattern either. We therefore extend the original ACT-R model and show how this model not only explains the data presented in this article, but is also able to account for previously unexplained patterns in the literature on reflexive processing. KW - Chinese reflexives KW - ACT-R KW - eye-tracking KW - interference KW - cue-based retrieval KW - computational modeling KW - ziji KW - content-addressable memory Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00617 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 6 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jäger, Lena Ann A1 - Engelmann, Felix A1 - Vasishth, Shravan T1 - Retrieval interference in reflexive processing BT - Experimental evidence from Mandarin, and computational modeling JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - We conducted two eye-tracking experiments investigating the processing of the Mandarin reflexive ziji in order to tease apart structurally constrained accounts from standard cue-based accounts of memory retrieval. In both experiments, we tested whether structurally inaccessible distractors that fulfill the animacy requirement of ziji influence processing times at the reflexive. In Experiment 1, we manipulated animacy of the antecedent and a structurally inaccessible distractor intervening between the antecedent and the reflexive. In conditions where the accessible antecedent mismatched the animacy cue, we found inhibitory interference whereas in antecedent-match conditions, no effect of the distractor was observed. In Experiment 2, we tested only antecedent-match configurations and manipulated locality of the reflexive-antecedent binding (Mandarin allows non-local binding). Participants were asked to hold three distractors (animate vs. inanimate nouns) in memory while reading the target sentence. We found slower reading times when animate distractors were held in memory (inhibitory interference). Moreover, we replicated the locality effect reported in previous studies. These results are incompatible with structure-based accounts. However, the cue-based ACT-R model of Lewis and Vasishth (2005) cannot explain the observed pattern either. We therefore extend the original ACT-R model and show how this model not only explains the data presented in this article, but is also able to account for previously unexplained patterns in the literature on reflexive processing. KW - Chinese reflexives KW - ACT-R KW - eye-tracking KW - interference KW - cue-based retrieval KW - computational modeling KW - ziji KW - content-addressable memory Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00617 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 6 IS - 617 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER -