[Theory] [TTIC Talks] 10/11 Research at TTIC: Kanishka Misra, TTIC

[Brandie Jones via Theory]

*When:*         October 11th* at 12:30pm CT  *


*Where:*        Talk will be given *live, in-person* at

                       TTIC, 6045 S. Kenwood Avenue

                        5th Floor, Room 530


*Virtually:*    via Panopto (Livestream
<https://uchicago.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f3c7b30f-a378-4d35-bf30-b1a90105792a>
)



*Who:*           Kanishka Misra, TTIC



*Title*:           Controlled Rearing of Language Models can Reveal
Linguistic Insight


*Abstract*:   Neural network based language models (LMs) have proliferated
across a multitude of disciplines. Meanwhile, their precise role in
advancing our understanding of human linguistic knowledge remains a topic
of much debate. What can these black boxes tell us about language learning,
use, and generalization?


In this talk I will discuss an approach my colleagues and I have taken to
contribute to this broad debate. In particular, I will introduce the
paradigm of “controlled rearing” where we perform systematic interventions
on a learner’s exposure environment, informed by specific hypotheses, and
measure the consequent effect on its behavior. I will then describe a case
study where we applied the controlled rearing method to understand and
analyze the conditions that enable generalization to a rare – and sometimes
completely novel – linguistic phenomenon. Specifically, I will show that
LMs can learn from indirect evidence, where they demonstrate generalization
to a rare/novel phenomenon when their input consists of linguistically
related utterances, in a manner that is not explained simply by shallow
processing. I will conclude by describing multiple ways in which controlled
rearing could be a general toolkit to understand the role of input in
facilitating generalization.


***********************************************************************************************

*Masks are optional in all common areas. **Full visitor guidance is
available at ttic.edu/visitors <http://ttic.edu/visitors>.*

***********************************************************************************************

*Research at TTIC Seminar Series*



TTIC is hosting a weekly seminar series presenting the research currently
underway at the Institute. Every week a different TTIC faculty member will
present their research.  The lectures are intended for students
seeking research topics and advisors and for the general TTIC and
University of Chicago communities interested in hearing what their
colleagues are up to.

-- 
*Brandie Jones *
*Executive **Administrative Assistant*
Toyota Technological Institute
6045 S. Kenwood Avenue
Chicago, IL  60637
www.ttic.edu
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