From semantic long-term memory activations to episodic trace: A neurocognitive simulation model

• Applicants: Dr. Markus Josef Hofmann; Professor Dr. Ralph Radach
• Subject Area: General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology
• Term: from 2013 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 243185554

During the initial funding period, the central goal of this work was to simulate priming effects during reading via associative interaction between differential word meanings in cortical long-term memory. For the second phase of the project, we intend to add a hippocampal layer, including conjunction units that store a pattern separated representation of episodic memory traces. As the resulting complementary learning systems model provides fully symbolic representations, it can be tested directly. First, semantic feature overlap with studied and prime words will serve to predict recognition probabilities of words in a recognition memory task. Second, the question will be addressed which combination of semantic long-term and purely episodic associations within sentences is optimal for recognition memory. In eye tracking and brain-electric studies, we plan to examine the dynamics of implicit and explicit encoding and retrieval processes, while the neuroimaging studies aim at providing a better understanding of the interplay between activated semantic long-term and episodic information in the human hippocampus.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: USA
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Christian Biemann; Professor Albrecht Inhoff, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Arthur M. Jacobs