The Importance of Feedback in Statistical Learning: Insights from Artificial Language Learning, Language Evolution, and AI
IMC Seminar: Talk by Morten H. Christiansen, Aarhus University and Cornell University
Info about event
Time
Location
Jens Chr. Skous Vej 4, 8000 Aarhus C, building 1483, room 312 and online (https://aarhusuniversity.zoom.us/my/imcevent)
Organizer
Abstract
Statistical learning—sensitivity to distributional patterns in the input—has emerged as a key mechanism for language learning. In this talk, I will argue that statistical learning alone is not sufficient to account for the full complexity of human language use—only when combined with feedback can successful learning be accomplished. To support this argument, I report on three lines of research. A psycholinguistic study details the role of positive, negative, and mixed feedback on the gradual learning of language-like statistical regularities within an active guessing game paradigm. Additional findings from an iterated learning study demonstrate that feedback is needed for languages to maintain multiple alternative word orders (like in Turkish) across ‘generations’ of human learners. Finally, results from experiments with different versions of GPT-3 underscore the importance of feedback for Large Language Models to reach human-like performance. Together, the three studies suggest that complex language use requires the incorporation of interactive feedback into the learning process.
About the speaker
Morten H. Christiansen
Professor, Cognitive Science, Aarhus University
Professor, Department of Psychology, Cornell University
Free of charge - All are welcome