Prediction Error During Functional and Non-Functional Action Sequences: A computational Exploration of Ritual and Ritualized Event Processing

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prediction Error During Functional and Non-Functional Action Sequences

T2 - A computational Exploration of Ritual and Ritualized Event Processing

AU - Nielbo, Kristoffer Laigaard

AU - Sørensen, Jesper

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - By means of the computational approach the present study investigates the difference between observation of functional behavior (i.e. actions involving necessary integration of subparts) and non-functional behavior (i.e. actions lacking necessary integration of subparts) in terms of prediction error. Non-functionality in this proximal sense is a feature of many socio-cultural practices, such as those found in religious rituals private and social, as well as pathological practices, such as ritualized behavior found among people suffering from Obsessive Compulsory Disorder (OCD). A recent behavioral study has shown that human subjects segment non-functional behavior in a more fine-grained way than functional behavior. This increase in segmentation rate implies that non-functionality elicits a stronger error signal. To further explore the implications, two computer simulations using simple recurrent networks were made and the results are presented in this article. The simulations show that non-functional action sequences do indeed increase prediction error, but that context representations, such as abstract goal information, can modulate the error signal considerably. It is also shown that the networks are sensitive to boundaries between sequences in both functional and non-functional actions.

AB - By means of the computational approach the present study investigates the difference between observation of functional behavior (i.e. actions involving necessary integration of subparts) and non-functional behavior (i.e. actions lacking necessary integration of subparts) in terms of prediction error. Non-functionality in this proximal sense is a feature of many socio-cultural practices, such as those found in religious rituals private and social, as well as pathological practices, such as ritualized behavior found among people suffering from Obsessive Compulsory Disorder (OCD). A recent behavioral study has shown that human subjects segment non-functional behavior in a more fine-grained way than functional behavior. This increase in segmentation rate implies that non-functionality elicits a stronger error signal. To further explore the implications, two computer simulations using simple recurrent networks were made and the results are presented in this article. The simulations show that non-functional action sequences do indeed increase prediction error, but that context representations, such as abstract goal information, can modulate the error signal considerably. It is also shown that the networks are sensitive to boundaries between sequences in both functional and non-functional actions.

KW - Ritualized Behavior

KW - Cultural Rituals

KW - Computer Simulation

KW - Prediction Error

KW - Event Perception

U2 - 10.1163/15685373-12342098

DO - 10.1163/15685373-12342098

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1567-7095

VL - 13

SP - 347

EP - 365

JO - Journal of Cognition and Culture

JF - Journal of Cognition and Culture

IS - 3-4

ER -