Episode 39

Give-N you Bayes and Backpropagation (Pt. II)

May 20th, 2026

2 hrs 3 mins 56 secs

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About this Episode

We're back with Part II. We continue our discussion of how to apply Bayesian models to number cognition, but in this segment we talk about another Lee and Sarnecka (2011) paper in which they show how the very same Bayesian model can be used to test two different theories of how children acquire number. We also talk about the strengths and weakness of large and small artificial neural networks, and Deon makes the case for why small models shouldn't be abandoned. We then talk a bit about what a model of the give-N task might look like and what role realism plays in the model.

Links

Lee, M. D., & Sarnecka, B. W. (2011). Number-knower levels in young children: Insights from Bayesian modeling. Cognition, 120(3), 391-402.Link