[Amdnl] Call for Chapter Proposals -Theoretical and Computational Models of Word Learning: Trends in Psychology and Artificial Intelligence

[Yukie Nagai]

Dear colleagues,

let me forward the call for chapter proposals announced by Prof. Lakshmi 
J. Gogate.

Best,
Yukie

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Call for Chapter Proposals
Theoretical and Computational Models of Word Learning:
Trends in Psychology and Artificial Intelligence

Introduction
Learning words represents a critical step in the development of human 
and artificial intelligence, yet researchers from both domains possess 
substantial and complementary blind spots in their knowledge of this 
complex process. Those in the field of developmental psychology often 
propose broad theories supported by empirical research, but which are 
underspecified in terms of implementation and appreciation for the 
complexity which can arise from implementation. In contrast, those in 
the field of artificial intelligence, while skilled in the art of 
constructing models do not always appreciate the complexity and subtlety 
of environmental factors, including complex social interactions. We 
believe that the study of word learning processes requires a 
cross-disciplinary theoretical approach which encourages discussion 
about the general principles involved in the development of adaptive 
systems and explains how complex forms emerge from simpler forms. In the 
field of developmental psychology, infant word learning can emerge from 
simpler general purpose sensory mechanisms that span across language and 
non-language domains. Likewise, the field of artificial intelligence has 
demonstrated that artificial systems are receptive to sensory input and 
adapt to their dynamic environment to simulate a range of complex 
behaviors. By combining insights from both fields, we can elucidate the 
multi-level influences (e.g., phonology, syntax, or social cues) on word 
learning to show how the complex process of word learning might emerge 
as a result of these influences. To achieve this end a cross-pollination 
of the research in word learning in infancy and related domains of 
development with computational models of word learning and these related 
domains of development is required.

Objective of the book
The primary purpose of this edited volume is to advance 
cross-disciplinary understanding between developmental psychologists and 
artificial intelligence researchers regarding the development of word 
comprehension and the multiple levels that influences its development. 
Keeping this goal in mind, our objective is to make the wide range of 
approaches to language comprehension and learning in both fields 
accessible in a single, comprehensive volume. The edited volume will 
cross-pollinate research in developmental psychology and artificial 
intelligence, connecting word learning in infancy and insights into 
human language development with computational models of language 
development and learning.

  The main goal of the proposed chapters will be to explain the dynamic 
process of word learning and to elucidate the complexity of the process 
by which humans develop an understanding of words from their ambient 
language. The comprehensive analysis of the developmental process of 
word learning must consider multiple levels of influence—from basic 
perception of auditory-visual information in the ambient communication 
of caregivers to the use of more complex social cues to glean 
word-referent relations, such as infants' ability to follow an adult's 
eye-gaze in the direction of an object that the adult is naming—to form 
a developmental trajectory. Thus, the chapters should reflect these 
multiple levels of influence on word learning, as well as advance state 
of the art psychological and computational models that represent these 
levels of influence. Chapters may also ground the domain of word 
learning with other domains of language development such as phonology 
and grammar.
Target Audience
This book is intended for an audience that conducts or is interested in 
interdisciplinary research on language learning and development, 
particularly research in developmental psychology and computational 
models of language development from artificial intelligence. The book is 
also intended for researchers that adopt general principles of 
development to create artificial systems that can develop an 
understanding of spoken language.

This book will also have the potential to serve as a supplementary 
reader for a graduate course in artificial intelligence as well as a 
course in language development/learning taught within an 
interdisciplinary program in cognitive science.

Recommended topics

We welcome chapters that adopt general principles of development to 
describe the complex process of word learning in humans. We also welcome 
chapters that advance multi-level theoretical and computational 
approaches to language development. Therefore, we are interested in 
receiving chapter proposals that discuss either phonological or 
syntactical influences on word learning, and elucidate any of the 
various mechanisms (e.g., perceptual, statistical) that influence the 
development of words in infants.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to the following:

• Theoretical Approaches to Word Learning
• Domain-general influences on word learning
o Perceptual models of word learning [e.g., invariance detection – 
intersensory redundancy, object saliency, shape bias , statistical cues]
o Computational models of domain general processes of word learning
o Integrated models of domain general processes of word learning
• Domain-specific processes of word learning
o Domain specific cues (e.g., prosodic cues, phonological cues, 
grammatical cues, or social cues
o Computational models of domain-specific processes in word learning- 
phonology, social cues; grammar
o Integrated models of domain -specific influences on word learning

Submission Procedure

Please submit a one-page abstract which discusses the main goal(s) of 
the proposed chapter and an outline. In the outline, please provide the 
contents of your chapter including a list of tentative subheads and a 
brief description of each subhead (two to three sentences).

Review Process

Each full chapter will be double-blind peer reviewed by at least 3 
reviewers on the Editorial Advisory Board listed below.

Important Dates

August 30, 2011: Proposal Submission Deadline
September 15, 2011 Notification of Acceptance
December 1, 2011: Full Chapter Submission
January 30, 2012: Review Results Returned
March 15, 2012: Final Chapter Submission
April 15, 2012: Final Deadline

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published in 2012 by IGI Global (formerly 
Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” 
(formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science 
Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science 
Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, 
please visit www.igi-global.com (http://www.igi-global.com).

Editorial Advisory Board Members:

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Temple University, USA
Gedeon Deak, University of California, San Diego, USA
Chen Yu, Indiana University-Bloomington, USA
Bob McMurray, University of Iowa, USA
Tobin Mintz, University of Southern California
Diane Poulin-Dubois, Concordia University, Canada
Roberta Golinkoff, University of Delaware, USA

Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (word 
document) or by mail to:
Lakshmi Gogate
Psychology, Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Blvd. South
Fort Myers, FL 33965
Tel.: 239 590 7655 • Fax: 239 590 7445
E-mail: lgogate at fgcu.edu (mailto:lgogate at fgcu.edu)
OR

George Hollich
703 3rd St., Department of Psychological Sciences
Purdue University
W. Lafayette, IN 47907
Tel.: 765 532 9126
  E-mail:ghollich at purdue.edu (mailto:ghollich at purdue.edu)




Lakshmi J. Gogate, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Psychology
Director, Infant Development Laboratory
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Blvd. S
Fort Myers, FL 33965
lgogate at fgcu.edu (mailto:lgogate at fgcu.edu)
infantlab at fgcu.edu (mailto:infantlab at fgcu.edu)


ph: 239 590 7655
fax: 239 590 7445
lab: 239 590 7349
http://www.fgcu.edu/CAS/Departments/SBS/faculty.html


-- 
Yukie Nagai, Ph.D.
Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Osaka University
Visiting Researcher, Bielefeld University
yukie at ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp
http://cnr.ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/~yukie/