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Effect of symmetry bias on linguistic evolution

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Abstract

As described in this paper, we investigated the effect of the symmetry bias on linguistic evolution. We specifically examined symmetry bias, which indicates the meaning in a state of environment. For this task, we constructed a meaning selection iterated learning model based on Simon Kirby’s iterated learning Model, and used it for simulation with three strategies: perfect matching symmetry bias, imperfect matching symmetry bias, and random strategy. Results of applying imperfect matching symmetry bias show that the language of the agent evolved into more compositional language. The agent acquired a more expressive, and a more similar language to the parent’s language than with the Random strategy agent. However, application of perfect matching symmetry bias showed that the language of the agent did not evolve. The agent acquired a less expressive and a more different language to the parent’s language than with Random strategy agent. Our experimentally obtained results demonstrate that the effect of imperfect matching symmetry bias accelerates linguistic evolution into compositional language, whereas perfect matching symmetry bias disturbs linguistic evolution.

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Notes

  1. Chunk and merge is what Kirby defined, but, replace is defined by Hashimoto as an independent operation from Kirby’s research[13].

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Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by a Grant-in-aid for Scientific Research (C)(KAKENHI) No. 25370681 and a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)(KAKENHI) No. 15K16013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa, 923-1211, Japan

    H. Sudo

  2. National Institute of Technology, Toyama College, 1-2 Ebie-neriya, Imizu, Toyama, 933-0293, Japan

    R. Matoba & A. Tsukada

  3. National Institute of Technology, Fukui College, Geshityou, Sabae, Fukui, 916-8507, Japan

    T. Cooper

Authors
  1. H. Sudo
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  2. R. Matoba
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  3. T. Cooper
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  4. A. Tsukada
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Sudo.

Additional information

This work was presented in part at the 20th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 21–23, 2015.

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Sudo, H., Matoba, R., Cooper, T. et al. Effect of symmetry bias on linguistic evolution. Artif Life Robotics 21, 207–214 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-016-0276-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-016-0276-7

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