A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour

Abstract The function of language in high-order goal-directed human cognition is an important topic at the centre of current debates. Experimental evidence shows that inner speech, representing a self-directed form of language, empowers cognitive processes such as working memory, perception, categor...

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Autores principales:	Giovanni Granato, Anna M. Borghi, Gianluca Baldassarre
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2020
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/2835767e67d946a4ad8dfc525ece4b49
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:2835767e67d946a4ad8dfc525ece4b492021-12-02T16:18:05ZA computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour10.1038/s41598-020-78252-y2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/2835767e67d946a4ad8dfc525ece4b492020-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78252-yhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract The function of language in high-order goal-directed human cognition is an important topic at the centre of current debates. Experimental evidence shows that inner speech, representing a self-directed form of language, empowers cognitive processes such as working memory, perception, categorization, and executive functions. Here we study the relations between inner speech and processes like feedback processing and cognitive flexibility. To this aim we propose a computational model that controls an artificial agent who uses inner speech to internally manipulate its representations. The agent is able to reproduce human behavioural data collected during the solution of the Wisconsin Card Sorting test, a neuropsychological test measuring cognitive flexibility, both in the basic condition and when a verbal shadowing protocol is used. The components of the model were systematically lesioned to clarify the specific impact of inner speech on the agent’s behaviour. The results indicate that inner speech improves the efficiency of internal representation manipulation. Specifically, it makes the representations linked to specific visual features more disentangled, thus improving the agent’s capacity to engage/disengage attention on stimulus features after positive/negative action outcomes. Overall, the model shows how inner speech could improve goal-directed internal manipulation of representations and enhance behavioural flexibility.Giovanni GranatoAnna M. BorghiGianluca BaldassarreNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2020)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Giovanni Granato Anna M. Borghi Gianluca Baldassarre A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
description	Abstract The function of language in high-order goal-directed human cognition is an important topic at the centre of current debates. Experimental evidence shows that inner speech, representing a self-directed form of language, empowers cognitive processes such as working memory, perception, categorization, and executive functions. Here we study the relations between inner speech and processes like feedback processing and cognitive flexibility. To this aim we propose a computational model that controls an artificial agent who uses inner speech to internally manipulate its representations. The agent is able to reproduce human behavioural data collected during the solution of the Wisconsin Card Sorting test, a neuropsychological test measuring cognitive flexibility, both in the basic condition and when a verbal shadowing protocol is used. The components of the model were systematically lesioned to clarify the specific impact of inner speech on the agent’s behaviour. The results indicate that inner speech improves the efficiency of internal representation manipulation. Specifically, it makes the representations linked to specific visual features more disentangled, thus improving the agent’s capacity to engage/disengage attention on stimulus features after positive/negative action outcomes. Overall, the model shows how inner speech could improve goal-directed internal manipulation of representations and enhance behavioural flexibility.
format	article
author	Giovanni Granato Anna M. Borghi Gianluca Baldassarre
author_facet	Giovanni Granato Anna M. Borghi Gianluca Baldassarre
author_sort	Giovanni Granato
title	A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
title_short	A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
title_full	A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
title_fullStr	A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
title_full_unstemmed	A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
title_sort	computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2020
url	https://doaj.org/article/2835767e67d946a4ad8dfc525ece4b49
work_keys_str_mv	AT giovannigranato acomputationalmodeloflanguagefunctionsinflexiblegoaldirectedbehaviour AT annamborghi acomputationalmodeloflanguagefunctionsinflexiblegoaldirectedbehaviour AT gianlucabaldassarre acomputationalmodeloflanguagefunctionsinflexiblegoaldirectedbehaviour AT giovannigranato computationalmodeloflanguagefunctionsinflexiblegoaldirectedbehaviour AT annamborghi computationalmodeloflanguagefunctionsinflexiblegoaldirectedbehaviour AT gianlucabaldassarre computationalmodeloflanguagefunctionsinflexiblegoaldirectedbehaviour
_version_	1718384159852855296

A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour

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