Yael Schems Maimin
PH.D. Student
School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University
SEMANTIC LEARNING AS A NEW TOOL THAT CREATES SEMANTIC NETWORKS IN LONG-TERM MEMORY
Project description
Semantic learning creates detailed long-term representations by connecting and integrating various bits of information into a semantic network that expresses the structure of the studied material. Although semantic learning reflects the way we acquire knowledge in our everyday experience, this form of learning has not been systematically investigated. The goal of my PhD is to evaluate the effectiveness of semantic learning for simple and complex contents, and to examine the interaction of semantic knowledge with visual perception and memory.
I developed a semantic learning paradigm based on exposure to a wide range of information and diverse aspects of the studied material. This paradigm was successful in creating a detailed and enduring representations for individual objects. The aim of my current project is to evaluate the effectiveness of semantic learning for more complex content, such as unfamiliar categories. Additionally, I intend to explore how semantic information is organized in memory throughout the learning process, relative to pre-existing knowledge.
Examining the formation of semantic networks is carried out using two parallel assessments: a. Participants rate the semantic proximity between the studied objects throughout the learning stages, a task that is analyzed using semantic network models; b. Participants write a short free text describing the use of these objects, before and after learning, and these texts are analyzed using natural language processing models. In addition, I examine the correlations between the ratings and the texts, and show that the subjective ratings of the participants are reflected in the language they use in writing the texts.
The goal of my research is to demonstrate that semantic learning can be effective and efficient in learning complex content in a short period of time, and to offer a new approach to how we perceive learning.
About me
I hold an M.A in Cognitive Psychology and a B.A in Psychology and Philosophy, both from Tel-Aviv University. I am interested in how new information is organized in memory through non-repetitive semantic learning. In my master's thesis, I demonstrated that semantic learning creates long-term representations for unfamiliar objects, and I also showed that semantic knowledge interacts with visual memory, even though the learning did not focus on this aspect of the learned material. During my PhD I am interested in deepening my understanding of the benefits of semantic learning, as well as tracing the process of information organization in memory throughout learning.