Understanding the functioning of the brain is one of the greatest challenges of psychology, hence the existence of different approaches and perspectives. In fact, after the emergence of cognitive psychology and Turing’s machine, there was a revolution in this field, from that moment on the brain began to be considered an information processor.
The first theory that was created to explain how the brain works was computational metaphor, but it quickly began to fail; in this situation, cognitive psychologists, with the intention of seeking new explanations, have created a theory known as connectionism.
- However.
- Before explaining what connectionism is.
- It is important to understand the vision of cognitive psychology in the brain.
- In this way we will understand the implications and failures of the computational metaphor.
- So we will review the main aspects of it.
- Branch of psychology in the next section.
Cognitive psychology understands the human brain as an information processor, that is, it is a system capable of decoding data from its environment, modifying it and extracting new information from it, and that this new data is incorporated into the system in a continuous flow. inputs and exits.
The computer metaphor explains that the brain is like a computer, through a series of programmed algorithms transforms the information inputs into a series of outputs, which at first glance seems logical, because we can study certain human behaviors that adapt to this model. Now, if we explore a little more, we start to detect flaws in that perspective.
The most important errors are the speed at which we process information, the flexibility with which we act, and the inaccuracy of our responses. If our brain had algorithms programmed, we would have other types of responses: slower due to all the processing steps to be performed, stiffer and much more accurate than they are. In short, we would be like computers and, at first glance, we see that this is not the case.
While we can try to adapt this theory to new evidence, changing the rigidity of programmed algorithms to more flexible and learning algorithms, we would still identify computer metaphor failures. This is where connectionism comes in, a flow that is simpler than the previous one, and that more satisfactorily explains the processing of information in the brain.
Connectionism leaves computational algorithms behind and explains that information is processed by activation propagation patterns, but what are these models?In simpler language, this means that when an information entry enters your brain, neurons begin to activate into a specific pattern, which will produce a particular output, forming networks between neurons that will process information quickly and without the need for programmed pre-algorithms.
To understand this, let’s take a simple example. Imagine someone telling you to define what a dog is, when the word reaches your ear, all neurons associated with it will automatically activate in your brain, the activation of this group of cells will extend to others with which it is connected, such as those related to the words mammal, bark or hair. And this will activate a pattern that includes these characteristics, which will lead you to define a dog as “a mammal with barking hair”.
From this perspective, for these systems to function as the human brain seems to behave, they must meet certain conditions, the basic properties to follow are:
This way of interpreting neural functioning not only seems very interesting, but the studies around it seem fruitful, currently computer simulations of connectionist systems on memory and language have been created, very similar to human behavior, however, we cannot say that this is the exact way in which the brain works.
In addition, this model has not only contributed to the study of psychology in all its fields, there are also multiple applications of these computer connection systems; above all, theory has been a breakthrough in the studies of artificial intelligence.
In conclusion, it is important to understand that the complexity of connectionism is much greater than that presented in this article, here we can find a simplified version of what it really is, useful only as an approximation, if your curiosity about the subject has been awakened, do not hesitate to continue your research on this theory and its implications.