Connectionism

Prepared by :
Saravis
Subashini
Ainatun
Asmilah
Aida
Definition
• Theoretical framework for the study of human cognition and
behaviour
• Also known as Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP) or Artificial Neural
Networks
• Advocates that learning, representation, and processing of
information in mind are parallel, distributed, and interactive in
nature.
Connectionist Model Theory

• Compares the brain to a computer system

• Stresses neural networks
the ability to make connections/associations between various
related concepts.
• Children “process” modes of discourse by tallying the input
frequencies of the phonological characteristics of language and the
corresponding phonological patterns
 Example

• Showed, mowed, and towed, imply that the statistical likelihood of

the past tense of the word glow to be glowed

• Just like a computer simulation, actual children make

overgeneralization errors (maked goed).

• The wider array of irregular verb forms that children are exposed to,
the less errors they make.