Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.

The associative sequence learning (ASL) hypothesis suggests that sensorimotor experience plays an inductive role in the development of the mirror neuron system, and that it can play this crucial role because its effects are mediated by learning that is sensitive to both contingency and contiguity. T...

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Main Authors: Cooper, R, Cook, R, Dickinson, A, Heyes, C
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2013
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author Cooper, R
Cook, R
Dickinson, A
Heyes, C
author_facet Cooper, R
Cook, R
Dickinson, A
Heyes, C
author_sort Cooper, R
collection OXFORD
description The associative sequence learning (ASL) hypothesis suggests that sensorimotor experience plays an inductive role in the development of the mirror neuron system, and that it can play this crucial role because its effects are mediated by learning that is sensitive to both contingency and contiguity. The Hebbian hypothesis proposes that sensorimotor experience plays a facilitative role, and that its effects are mediated by learning that is sensitive only to contiguity. We tested the associative and Hebbian accounts by computational modelling of automatic imitation data indicating that MNS responsivity is reduced more by contingent and signalled than by non-contingent sensorimotor training (Cook et al. [7]). Supporting the associative account, we found that the reduction in automatic imitation could be reproduced by an existing interactive activation model of imitative compatibility when augmented with Rescorla-Wagner learning, but not with Hebbian or quasi-Hebbian learning. The work argues for an associative, but against a Hebbian, account of the effect of sensorimotor training on automatic imitation. We argue, by extension, that associative learning is potentially sufficient for MNS development.
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spelling oxford-uuid:47555b28-d102-4ef1-9f74-4c7f4dc766bd2022-03-26T15:19:31ZAssociative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:47555b28-d102-4ef1-9f74-4c7f4dc766bdEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2013Cooper, RCook, RDickinson, AHeyes, CThe associative sequence learning (ASL) hypothesis suggests that sensorimotor experience plays an inductive role in the development of the mirror neuron system, and that it can play this crucial role because its effects are mediated by learning that is sensitive to both contingency and contiguity. The Hebbian hypothesis proposes that sensorimotor experience plays a facilitative role, and that its effects are mediated by learning that is sensitive only to contiguity. We tested the associative and Hebbian accounts by computational modelling of automatic imitation data indicating that MNS responsivity is reduced more by contingent and signalled than by non-contingent sensorimotor training (Cook et al. [7]). Supporting the associative account, we found that the reduction in automatic imitation could be reproduced by an existing interactive activation model of imitative compatibility when augmented with Rescorla-Wagner learning, but not with Hebbian or quasi-Hebbian learning. The work argues for an associative, but against a Hebbian, account of the effect of sensorimotor training on automatic imitation. We argue, by extension, that associative learning is potentially sufficient for MNS development.
spellingShingle Cooper, R
Cook, R
Dickinson, A
Heyes, C
Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.
title Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.
title_full Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.
title_fullStr Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.
title_full_unstemmed Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.
title_short Associative (not Hebbian) learning and the mirror neuron system.
title_sort associative not hebbian learning and the mirror neuron system
work_keys_str_mv AT cooperr associativenothebbianlearningandthemirrorneuronsystem
AT cookr associativenothebbianlearningandthemirrorneuronsystem
AT dickinsona associativenothebbianlearningandthemirrorneuronsystem
AT heyesc associativenothebbianlearningandthemirrorneuronsystem