paper on object permanence now available

[Denis Mareschal]

FTP-host: archive.cis.ohio-state.edu
FTP-filename: /pub/neuroprose/mareschal.object_permanence.ps.Z

The following paper is now available for copying from the neuroprose
archive. It will appear in the Proceedings of the Cognitive Science
Society.

Title: Developing Object Permanence: A Connectionist Model
      (6 pages)

Authors: Denis Mareschal, Kim Plunkett, Paul Harris  
             Department of Experimental Psychology
             South Parks Rd
             University of Oxford
             Oxford OX1 3UD
             UK

Abstract:

When tested on surprise or preferential looking tasks, young infants
show an understanding that objects continue to exists even though
they are no longer directly perceivable. Only later do infants show a
similar level of competence when tested on retrieval tasks. Hence, a 
developmental lag is apparent between infants' knowledge as measured by
passive response tasks, and their ability to demonstrate that knowledge in an
active retrieval task. We present a connectionist model which learns to
track and initiate a motor response towards objects. The model exhibits a
capacity to maintain a representation of the object even when it is no
longer directly perceptible, and acquires implicit tracking competence
before the ability to initiate a manual response to a hidden object. A study
with infants confirms the model's prediction concerning improved tracking
performance at higher object velocities. It is suggested that the developmental
lag is a direct consequence of the need to co-ordinate representations
which themselves emerge through learning.

Thanks to Jordan Pollack for maintaining this archive service!

Instructions for retrieving the paper:

unix> ftp archive.cis.ohio-state.edu
Name: anonymous
Password: (your email address)

ftp> cd /pub/neuroprose
ftp> bin
ftp> get mareschal.object_permanence.ps.Z
ftp> quit

unix> uncompress mareschal.object_permanence.ps.Z
unix> lpr -s mareschal.object_permanence.ps.Z
 




		Cheers,

			DENIS MARESCHAL
			DEPARTMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
			OXFORD UNIVERSITY
			SOUTH PARKS RD
			OXFORD OX1 3UD
			UK