What and when the brain simulates

大脑模拟什么以及何时模拟

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06139
• 负责人: Matheson, Heath
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: University of Northern British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=683315
• 关键词: What; when; brain; simulates

We need knowledge of what things are and how they are used. In our day to day lives, we find tools, use them, and sometimes create new ones to solve problems. To do so, the brain represents information about what objects look like (visual information), the sounds they make (auditory information), and what we can do with them (action information). Understanding how the brain represents knowledge will change the way we learn and work.******Within cognitive neuroscience, a new theory is helping us better understand how the brain represents knowledge. The theory of grounded cognition seeks to explain how knowledge is grounded' in our bodily experiences of the world. Specifically, the theory suggests that, to know that the object lying on a table is a hammer, we simulate our experiences with a hammervisual, auditory, and motor. My previous research has investigated this theory. Though there is some support for the theory, it is not yet known what information is simulated in the brain or when these simulations are used. Further, to date, it is not clear how simulations are reflected in the activity of the brain. For instance, must we simulate all of our experiences with a hammer (e.g. simulate the motor experiences but not the auditory)? What are the timing differences when we are trying to think about its name vs. when we are trying to come up with a creative use for it? Studying what type of information is simulated and when simulations are activated is critical to understanding knowledge. ******The goals of my proposed research program are three-fold. First, I will characterize the environmental contexts in which simulations are used (e.g. identifying a hammer on a workbench vs. a kitchen counter). Second, I will characterize how the goals of the observer determine what is simulated (e.g. identifying a hammer for the purpose of hammering a nail into the wall vs. for a creative purpose). Finally, I will characterize the timing of simulations by investigating the neural activity that occurs during simulations. To do so, people will identify pictures of objects in different contexts while their brain waves are recorded. ******Findings from this research will be significant for three reasons. First, they will help us better understand the relationship between the brain and knowledge. Second, they will provide insight into methods for representing knowledge in computers, a major challenge facing artificial intelligence. Finally, they will provide a strong theory for understanding how we use knowledge in our day to day lives.

我们需要知道事物是什么以及如何使用它们。在我们的日常生活中，我们寻找工具，使用它们，有时创造新的工具来解决问题。为了做到这一点，大脑代表了物体的样子（视觉信息），它们发出的声音（听觉信息），以及我们可以用它们做什么（动作信息）。了解大脑如何表达知识将改变我们学习和工作的方式。******在认知神经科学领域，一种新的理论正在帮助我们更好地理解大脑是如何代表知识的。基础认知理论试图解释知识是如何以我们对世界的身体体验为基础的。具体来说，该理论表明，为了知道桌子上的物体是一把锤子，我们用锤子来模拟我们的体验——视觉、听觉和运动。我之前的研究已经调查了这个理论。尽管这一理论得到了一些支持，但目前尚不清楚大脑中模拟的是什么信息，以及何时使用这些模拟。此外，到目前为止，还不清楚模拟是如何反映在大脑活动中的。例如，我们是否必须模拟我们所有的锤子体验（例如，模拟运动体验，而不是听觉体验）？当我们试着去思考它的名字和当我们试着想出一个创造性的用法时，时间上有什么不同？研究模拟什么类型的信息以及何时激活模拟对于理解知识至关重要。******我提出的研究计划的目标有三个方面。首先，我将描述使用模拟的环境背景（例如，识别工作台上的锤子与厨房柜台上的锤子）。其次，我将描述观察者的目标如何决定模拟的内容（例如，识别锤子的目的是将钉子钉进墙上，而不是出于创造性目的）。最后，我将通过研究模拟过程中发生的神经活动来描述模拟的时间。为了做到这一点，人们将识别不同背景下物体的图片，同时记录下他们的脑电波。******这项研究的发现意义重大，原因有三。首先，它们将帮助我们更好地理解大脑和知识之间的关系。其次，他们将为在计算机中表示知识的方法提供见解，这是人工智能面临的主要挑战。最后，他们将为理解我们如何在日常生活中使用知识提供一个强有力的理论。