How long is now? The multiple timescales of language processing. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Honey, Christopher J.; Chen, Janice; Müsch, Kathrin; Hasson, Uri
• Is Part Of: Behavioral and brain sciences. Volume 39(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Brain -- Periodicals; 616.89142
• DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X15000825
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-525X

Abstract

Abstract: Christiansen & Chater (C&C) envision language function as a hierarchical chain of transformations, enabling rapid, continuous processing of input. Their notion of a "Now-or-Never" bottleneck may be elaborated by recognizing that timescales become longer at successive levels of the sensory processing hierarchy – that is, the window of "Now" expands. We propose that a hierarchical "process memory" is intrinsic to language processing.