scholarly journals Beyond the Platonic Brain: facing the challenge of individual differences in function-structure mapping

Synthese ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Viola
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Multiple Models ◽  
Abstract Model ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Structure Mapping ◽  
Function Structure ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
Face Area

Abstract In their attempt to connect the workings of the human mind with their neural realizers, cognitive neuroscientists often bracket out individual differences to build a single, abstract model that purportedly represents (almost) every human being’s brain. In this paper I first examine the rationale behind this model, which I call ‘Platonic Brain Model’. Then I argue that it is to be surpassed in favor of multiple models allowing for patterned inter-individual differences. I introduce the debate on legitimate (and illegitimate) ways of mapping neural structures and cognitive functions, endorsing a view according to which function-structure mapping is context-sensitive. Building on the discussion of the ongoing debate on the function(s) of the so-called Fusiform “Face” Area, I show the necessity of indexing function-structure mappings to some populations of subjects, clustered on the basis of factors such as their expertise in a given domain.

scholarly journals Erratum to “Adaptation in the fusiform face area (FFA): Image or Person?” [Vision Research 49 (23) (2009) 2800–2807]

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (15) ◽  
pp. e1-e3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaokun Xu ◽  
Xiaomin Yue ◽  
Mark D. Lescroart ◽  
Irving Biederman ◽  
Jiye G. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Vision Research ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Face Area

P34. Working memory for faces in congenital prosopagnosia: altered neural representations in the fusiform face area

2018 ◽  
Vol 129 (8) ◽  
pp. e80-e81
Author(s):  
A. Haeger ◽  
C. Pouzat ◽  
V. Luecken ◽  
K. N’Diaye ◽  
C.E. Elger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Face Area ◽  
Neural Representations ◽  
Congenital Prosopagnosia

Learning to See Biological Motion: Brain Activity Parallels Behavior

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 1669-1679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily D. Grossman ◽  
Randolph Blake ◽  
Chai-Youn Kim
Keyword(s):  
Neural Activity ◽  
Biological Motion ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Superior Temporal Sulcus ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Face Area ◽  
Perceptual Performance ◽  
Trained Observers ◽  
Posterior Superior Temporal Sulcus

Individuals improve with practice on a variety of perceptual tasks, presumably reflecting plasticity in underlying neural mechanisms. We trained observers to discriminate biological motion from scrambled (nonbiological) motion and examined whether the resulting improvement in perceptual performance was accompanied by changes in activation within the posterior superior temporal sulcus and the fusiform “face area,” brain areas involved in perception of biological events. With daily practice, initially naive observers became more proficient at discriminating biological from scrambled animations embedded in an array of dynamic “noise” dots, with the extent of improvement varying among observers. Learning generalized to animations never seen before, indicating that observers had not simply memorized specific exemplars. In the same observers, neural activity prior to and following training was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Neural activity within the posterior superior temporal sulcus and the fusiform “face area” reflected the participants' learning: BOLD signals were significantly larger after training in response both to animations experienced during training and to novel animations. The degree of learning was positively correlated with the amplitude changes in BOLD signals.

Exploring the Effects of Individual Differences in Function Structure Modeling Behaviors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apurva Patel ◽  
Joshua D. Summers
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Structure Modeling ◽  
Risk Propensity ◽  
Input Process ◽  
Function Structure ◽  
Modeling Process ◽  
Survey Instruments ◽  
Process Output ◽  
Protocol Study

Abstract This paper presents an exploratory study conducted to understand the role of individual differences between designers in the function modeling process and with respect to final models. An input-process-output framework of function modeling is proposed to systematically approach this theory building and discovery research study. Four measures of individual differences are identified of interest. These include the systemizing quotient, goal orientation, risk propensity, and concept design thinking style. Each metric is composed of multiple items that can be assessed through survey instruments. A previously developed protocol study is used to capture function modeling behaviors and a final function structure model. Data collected from the survey instruments and protocol study is processed to generate input, process, and output measures. A regression-based analysis is used to identify correlations in three groups: input-process, input-output, and process-output. Potential correlations of interest are identified within each group. Implications of these correlations are discussed from a function structure modeling perspective and hypotheses for future research are identified based on the patterns observed in this study. Three testable hypotheses are proposed for future investigation: (1) Goal orientation has no effect on activity distribution in the function modeling process, (2) Thinking style has no effect on the function modeling process, and (3) Risk propensity has no effect on element distribution in the function modeling process. Finally, an anticipated experiment is outlined to investigate one of the potential relationships discovered in this study.

The fusiform face area and occipital face area show sensitivity to spatial relations in faces

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 721-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian Rhodes ◽  
Patricia T. Michie ◽  
Matthew E. Hughes ◽  
Graham Byatt
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Relations ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Face Area ◽  
Occipital Face Area

scholarly journals Neural Tuning for Face Wholes and Parts in Human Fusiform Gyrus Revealed by fMRI Adaptation

2010 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 336-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Harris ◽  
Geoffrey Karl Aguirre
Keyword(s):  
Functional Mri ◽  
Holistic Processing ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Single Population ◽  
Face Area ◽  
Neural Populations ◽  
The Face ◽  
Adaptation Response ◽  
The Right ◽  
Fmri Adaptation

Although the right fusiform face area (FFA) is often linked to holistic processing, new data suggest this region also encodes part-based face representations. We examined this question by assessing the metric of neural similarity for faces using a continuous carryover functional MRI (fMRI) design. Using faces varying along dimensions of eye and mouth identity, we tested whether these axes are coded independently by separate part-tuned neural populations or conjointly by a single population of holistically tuned neurons. Consistent with prior results, we found a subadditive adaptation response in the right FFA, as predicted for holistic processing. However, when holistic processing was disrupted by misaligning the halves of the face, the right FFA continued to show significant adaptation, but in an additive pattern indicative of part-based neural tuning. Thus this region seems to contain neural populations capable of representing both individual parts and their integration into a face gestalt. A third experiment, which varied the asymmetry of changes in the eye and mouth identity dimensions, also showed part-based tuning from the right FFA. In contrast to the right FFA, the left FFA consistently showed a part-based pattern of neural tuning across all experiments. Together, these data support the existence of both part-based and holistic neural tuning within the right FFA, further suggesting that such tuning is surprisingly flexible and dynamic.

scholarly journals Neurophysiology of Ethnicity (based on foreign literature)

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
E.A. Varshaver
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Fusiform Face Area ◽  
Foreign Literature ◽  
Face Area ◽  
The Brain

This article contains a review of research in the realm of neurophysiology of ethnicity. According to this body of research, there are zones of the brain which get active in response to demonstration of ethnic stimuli. Among these zones are amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, fusiform face area and others. The article describes the research focused on each of these zones, discusses their weaknesses and projects further research on the crossroads of neurophysiology, cognitive science, psychology and sociology.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document