The language of geometry: Fast comprehension of geometrical primitives and rules in human adults and preschoolers
During language processing, humans form complex embedded representations from sequential inputs. Here, we ask whether a “geometrical language” with recursive embedding also underlies the human ability to encode sequences of spatial locations. We introduce a novel paradigm in which subjects are ex...
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| Principais autores: | , , , , |
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| Formato: | article |
| Idioma: | eng |
| Publicado em: |
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| Endereço do item: | https://repositorio.ufrn.br/jspui/handle/123456789/22104 |
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| Resumo: | During language processing, humans form complex embedded representations from
sequential inputs. Here, we ask whether a “geometrical language” with recursive embedding
also underlies the human ability to encode sequences of spatial locations. We introduce a
novel paradigm in which subjects are exposed to a sequence of spatial locations on an octagon,
and are asked to predict future locations. The sequences vary in complexity according
to a well-defined language comprising elementary primitives and recursive rules. A detailed
analysis of error patterns indicates that primitives of symmetry and rotation are spontaneously
detected and used by adults, preschoolers, and adult members of an indigene group
in the Amazon, the Munduruku, who have a restricted numerical and geometrical lexicon
and limited access to schooling. Furthermore, subjects readily combine these geometrical
primitives into hierarchically organized expressions. By evaluating a large set of such combinations,
we obtained a first view of the language needed to account for the representation of
visuospatial sequences in humans, and conclude that they encode visuospatial sequences
by minimizing the complexity of the structured expressions that capture them. |
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