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UID:20251008T2231Z-1759962681.3802-EO-34933-2@10.19.146.24
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SUMMARY: Fall 2023 Quinn Memorial Lecture featuring Dr. Barbara Landau
DESCRIPTION: Dr. Barbara Landau will deliver a talk on 'Geometry and functi
 on in spatial terms: Core and More'.
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html: <p><iframe title="Fall 2023 Quinn Memorial Le
 cture with Dr. Barbara Landau" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k4tkDtw0s
 LM" width="670" height="350" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscre
 en"><span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block\; width: 0p
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 /iframe></p><hr /><p><span data-key="107">The Department of Psychology host
 ed Dr. Barbara Landau\, Dick and Lydia Todd Professor of Cognitive Science 
 at the Johns Hopkins University</span><span data-key="110">\, as guest spea
 ker at our annual Quinn Memorial Lecture. Dr. Landau is interested in human
  knowledge of language and space\, and the relationships between these two 
 foundational systems of knowledge.</span></p><h3>TITLE</h3><p>Geometry and 
 function in spatial terms: Core and More</p><h3>ABSTRACT</h3><p>Theories of
  the meanings of spatial terms often focus on geometric properties of objec
 ts and locations as the key to understanding meaning.  For example\, “The c
 at is on the mat” might engage geometric properties characterizing the figu
 re (‘cat'\, a point) and the ground (‘mat’\, a plane)  as well as the geome
 tric relationship between the two objects (‘on’\, coincidence).  However ot
 her theorists have argued that geometric properties are far from sufficient
  to capture the meanings of many spatial terms\, and that instead\, functio
 nal\, force-dynamic properties of objects (e.g. support\, containment) are 
 crucial to spatial term meanings.  In this talk\, I will argue that both ap
 proaches are necessary to understanding the variety of spatial terms that a
 ppear in language.  To do this\, I will introduce two new divisions of labo
 r within English spatial prepositions.  The first is a division between ‘ge
 ometric’ spatial terms in English (including above/below\, left/right\, nor
 th/south/east/west) and ‘functional’ or ‘force-dynamic’ terms (including in
 \, on\, and others)\, with each set of terms drawing on quite different kin
 ds of properties.  The second division of labor is within the set of functi
 onal/force-dynamic terms\; here the ‘core’ exemplars of a category are enco
 ded with the simplest expressions (e.g. ‘is in/is on’) while ’non-core’ exe
 mplars are encoded through use of a rich set of lexical verbs that help spe
 cify the particular kind of force-dynamic properties engaged.  The division
  between geometric and functional/ force-dynamic terms has many consequence
 s\, including the ease of acquisition of each type in first or second langu
 age acquisition\, the extent and kind of cross-linguistic variation fro eac
 h type\, and possibly the neural substrate underlying the two types.</p><h3
 >THE SPEAKER</h3><p><a href="https://cogsci.jhu.edu/directory/barbara-landa
 u/"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-901" src="https://quinn-psyc
 h.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2023/01/Landau2-e1644064105272-210x300.jpeg" alt="
 " width="210" height="300" />Dr. Barbara Landau</a> is the Dick and Lydia T
 odd Professor of Cognitive Science at the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Lan
 dau is interested in human knowledge of language and space\, and the relati
 onships between these two foundational systems of knowledge. Her central in
 terests concern the nature of the cognitive "primitives" that are in place 
 during early development\, and support our remarkable capacity to recognize
  objects\, move around space in a directed fashion\, and talk about our spa
 tial experience. Specific questions of interest include: How do children co
 me to master the intricate relationships between meanings and their linguis
 tic expression? How do we come to know about space\, in order to recognize 
 and remember objects\, motions\, and places in space? What is the relations
 hip between language and space\, and do these differ across different langu
 ages? How do humans use each system to enhance their use of the other syste
 m? When and how do the two systems come to "communicate" with each other?</
 p><p>In thinking about these questions\, Dr. Landau's research draws on a v
 ariety of approaches\, including traditional experimental and linguistic me
 thods adapted for young children. Although much of her work concerns the me
 chanisms of normal development\, she is also interested in unusual cases of
  development\, which can shed light on normal development and cognition. Fo
 r example\, studies of congenitally blind children can shed light on the re
 lationship between perception and language\; studies of people with William
 s syndrome (a genetic deficit associated with deletion of 25 genes on chrom
 osome 7) can shed light on the effects of genetic deletion on spatial organ
 ization and language learning\, and studies of spatial representation in in
 dividuals who have sustained perinatal stroke can reveal the brain's organi
 zational and developmental principles for space compared to language. More 
 generally\, these cases of unusual development afford the opportunity to th
 ink about the relationships among genes\, the developing brain\, and cognit
 ion.</p><hr /><h3>EVENT DETAILS</h3><p><strong>October 11\, 2023<br /></str
 ong>Registration: 4:30 – 5:00 pm PST (if attending in-person)<br />Lecture 
 and Q&A: 5:00 – 6:30 pm PST<br />Reception: 6:30 – 7:30 pm PST (if attendin
 g in-person)</p><p><em>There will be light appetizers and a cash bar at the
  reception. </em></p><p><b>Location<br /></b>Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre<b>
 <br /></b>Lecture: Jack Poole Hall (2nd Floor) | Reception: Wong-Trainor We
 lcome Centre (1st Floor)<br />6163 University Boulevard | Vancouver BC<br /
 ><span id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT471_com_zimbra_url" class="Object"><a href="https:
 //alumnicentre.ubc.ca/visit-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">
 Map\, parking\, and accessibility information</a></span></p><hr /><h3>ABOUT
  THE QUINN MEMORIAL LECTURE</h3><p>The annual Quinn Memorial Lecture brings
  together the UBC Psychology community and friends for an evening of dialog
 ue and a chance to learn first-hand about some of the most innovative psych
 ology research from renowned experts. The lecture is made possible by a gen
 erous gift to our department from prominent alumnus\, Dr. Michael J. Quinn 
 (1927-2004). Learn <a href="https://quinn.psych.ubc.ca/about/">more</a>.</p
 ><hr /><h3>ACCESSIBILITY</h3><p>We strive to host inclusive\, accessible ev
 ents that enable all individuals to engage fully. To be respectful of those
  with allergies and environmental sensitivities\, we ask that you please re
 frain from wearing strong fragrances. To request an accommodation or for in
 quiries about accessibility\, please contact the Psychology communications 
 team at: comm.web[at]psych.ubc.ca</p><hr /><p><em>We acknowledge that UBC’s
  Vancouver Point Grey campus is situated on the traditional\, ancestral\, u
 nceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam). We also acknowledge that p
 eople may join this event virtually from many places\, near and far\, and a
 cknowledge the traditional owners and caretakers of those lands.</em></p><p
 > </p>
CATEGORIES:Featured Homepage,Featured News and Events
LOCATION:Jack Poole Hall-Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre
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