The thesis underpinning this study is as follows; it is possible to build machine models that are indistinguishable from the mental models used by humans to generate language to describe their environment. This is to say that the machine model should perform in such a way that a human listener could not discern whether a description of a scene was generated by a human or by the machine model. Many linguistic processes are used to generate even simple scene descriptions and developing machine models of all of them is beyond the scope of this study. The goal of this study is, therefore, to model a sufficient part of the scene description process, operating in a sufficiently realistic environment, so that the likelihood of being able to build machine models of the remaining processes, operating in the real world, can be established. The relatively under-researched process of reference object selection is chosen as the focus of this study. A reference object is, for instance, the `table' in the phrase ``The flowers are on the table''. This study demonstrates that the reference selection process is of similar complexity to others involved in generating scene descriptions which include: assigning prepositions, selecting reference frames and disambiguating objects (usually termed `generating referring expressions'). The secondary thesis of this study is therefore; it is possible to build a machine model that is indistinguishable from the mental models used by humans in selecting reference objects. Most of the practical work in the study is aimed at establishing this. An environment sufficiently near to the real-world for the machine models to operate on is developed as part of this study. It consists of a series of 3-dimensional scenes containing multiple objects that are recognisable to humans and `readable' by the machine models. The rationale for this approach is discussed. The performance of human subjects in describing this environment is evaluated, and measures by which the human performance can be compared to the performance of the machine models are discussed. The machine models used in the study are variants on Bayesian networks. A new approach to learning the structure of a subset of Bayesian networks is presented. Simple existing Bayesian classifiers such as naive or tree augmented naive networks did not perform sufficiently well. A significant result of this study is that useful machine models for reference object choice are of such complexity that a machine learning approach is required. Earlier proposals based on sum-of weighted-factors or similar constructions will not produce satisfactory models. Two differently derived sets of variables are used and compared in this study. Firstly variables derived from the basic geometry of the scene and the properties of objects are used. Models built from these variables match the choice of reference of a group of humans some 73\% of the time, as compared with 90\% for the median human subject. Secondly variables derived from `ray casting' the scene are used. Ray cast variables performed much worse than anticipated, suggesting that humans use object knowledge as well as immediate perception in the reference choice task. Models combining geometric and ray-cast variables match the choice of reference of the group of humans some 76\% of the time. Although niether of these machine models are likely to be indistinguishable from a human, the reference choices are rarely, if ever, entirely ridiculous. A secondary goal of the study is to contribute to the understanding of the process by which humans select reference objects. Several statistically significant results concerning the necessary complexity of the human models and the nature of the variables within them are established. Problems that remain with both the representation of the near-real-world environment and the Bayesian models and variables used within them are detailed. While these problems cast some doubt on the results it is argued that solving these problems is possible and would, on balance, lead to improved performance of the machine models. This further supports the assertion that machine models producing reference choices indistinguishable from those of humans are possible.

The present thesis examined whether the corvid, Clark’s nutcracker, is able to discriminate knowledge states between human experimenters based upon gestural cues using an object-choice task. To do so, the knowledge state of two experimenters was manipulated – one experimenter was informed, and the other uninformed, as to the location of a hidden food reward. To find the reward, the birds had to use the gesture of the informed experimenter and refrain from using the unreliable gesture of the uninformed experimenter. The nutcrackers responded to the gesture of the informed experimenter at above chance levels when simultaneously presented with the uninformed experimenter’s gesture. When the uninformed experimenter’s gesture was presented alone, the birds continued to follow the gesture. These results suggest the birds learned the gesture was meaningful, perhaps by associative learning, yet when this mechanism was not reliable the nutcrackers based their choices on the knowledge states of the experimenters.

The present thesis examined whether the corvid, Clark’s nutcracker, is able to discriminate knowledge states between human experimenters based upon gestural cues using an object-choice task. To do so, the knowledge state of two experimenters was manipulated – one experimenter was informed, and the other uninformed, as to the location of a hidden food reward. To find the reward, the birds had to use the gesture of the informed experimenter and refrain from using the unreliable gesture of the uninformed experimenter. The nutcrackers responded to the gesture of the informed experimenter at above chance levels when simultaneously presented with the uninformed experimenter’s gesture. When the uninformed experimenter’s gesture was presented alone, the birds continued to follow the gesture. These results suggest the birds learned the gesture was meaningful, perhaps by associative learning, yet when this mechanism was not reliable the nutcrackers based their choices on the knowledge states of the experimenters.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:21:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Flavia Bittar Arantes.pdf: 380872 bytes, checksum: 1104c7df29a6bd2da4475463ff1cf046 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-04-04 / The bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, refers to a group of surgical techniques that contributes to drastic reduction of the weight. Destined to bearers of morbid obesity, it aims to remove the person from a life risk. Today it has become a great medical investment and instantaneous solution for everything that is associated with obesity. The present research had an exploratory nature and it aimed to study the impact of the weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, under the spouses' perspective. They were questioned about aspects of couple's relationship concerning to first dates, engagement, marriage, children, leisure and work, making a parallel of these points after the surgical submission. Three interviews of this clinical sort were accomplished, in which the important theoretical criteria to the analysis were: object relationships, transfer, identification and contemporary condition. Nowadays, the concern with the beauty became synonym of being thin and it has been pushing people to do whatever it takes to get the perfect body model. The solid demand of the culture and media on behalf of the beauty, mainly in what is referred to the feminine body, makes a big range of women run over to infinites means and treatments that keep them young and thin, close to a skeletal model. The weight loss surgery was found as a magic formula to solve a problem with multiple dimensions and, therefore, leaves gaps and needs of research. In a symbolic point of view, this research aimed to find out the husbands sense of the surgery and also how a relationship would be carried out between a couple. It is noticed a character in a demand relationship, what means, in other words, that the person is living intensely conflicting situations between narcissism and Oedipus Complex. It was noticed that the surgery for them would remit many ideas related to fantasies of loss, such as mother-baby separation, child-adult separation, thin-obese separation and husband-woman separation. To separate isn t easy. It is really to perform a surgery and, in this case, a surgery between two people. / A cirurgia bariátrica ou cirurgia de redução de estômago refere-se a um conjunto de técnicas cirúrgicas que contribui para redução drástica do peso. Destinada a portadores de obesidade mórbida, tem o objetivo de retirar a pessoa do risco de vida. Hoje se tornou grande investimento médico e solução instantânea para todos os problemas associados à obesidade. Este trabalho teve um caráter exploratório e buscou estudar o impacto da cirurgia bariátrica na relação de casal sob a perspectiva dos cônjuges masculinos. Estes foram indagados sobre aspectos da relação de casal desde namoro, noivado, casamento, filhos, lazer, trabalho fazendo um paralelo destes eixos depois da submissão cirúrgica. Foram realizadas três entrevistas do tipo clínico, nas quais os critérios teóricos relevantes para análise foram: identificação, relação de objeto e contemporaneidade. Nos dias atuais a preocupação com a beleza tornou-se sinônimo de preocupação em ser magro e tem levado as pessoas em busca do modelo de corpo perfeito a qualquer preço. A maciça exigência da cultura e da mídia em prol da beleza, principalmente no que se refere ao corpo feminino, leva cada vez mais mulheres a recorrerem a infinitos meios e tratamentos que as mantenham jovens e magras, um modelo cada vez mais próximo ao esquelético. A cirurgia da obesidade foi um caminho encontrado como fórmula mágica para resolver um problema que tem dimensões múltiplas, e, portanto deixa lacunas e, assim necessidade de pesquisas. Buscou-se neste estudo, simbolicamente, o sentido da cirurgia para os maridos, e como perpassava a relação a dois. A cirurgia vem como uma necessidade de mudança, e assim, desacomoda a relação. Percebe-se um sujeito na relação de demanda, ou seja, vivendo intensamente situações conflituosas entre narcisismo e Complexo de Édipo. Notou-se que a cirurgia para eles remetia a muitas idéias relacionadas a fantasias de perda, tais como separação mãe-bebê, separação criança-adulto, separação magro-obeso, separação marido-mulher. Separar não é fácil, é fazer uma cirurgia, neste caso, uma cirurgia a dois.

<p>I investigated the understanding of human communicative motives in domestic dogs. Dogs use human communicative cues, like the pointing gesture when searching for hidden food, but it is uncertain how dogs interpret human communication. 32 dogs were presented with two communicative contexts in an object choice task experimental design. In a cooperative context the experimenter informed the subject where food was hidden by pointing and giving a verbal indication. In a competitive context the experimenter held out her arm towards the correct location in a stop gesture and firmly said no. To be successful in the competitive context the subject had to understand the experimenters communicative motive and make an inference from the prohibition (i.e. she would only prohibit it if there was something good there). The average correct choices were compared between the conditions. The dogs successfully followed the cooperative communication. They showed a trend towards choosing the baited cup in the competitive condition. A second study tested if the stop gesture affected the dogs’ choice, since it is not known how dogs interpret gestures. The pointing cue was now presented with the prohibiting command and the stop gesture was presented with the cooperative verbal cue. The dogs used the cooperative communication but did not understand the competitive context. A difference between the contexts was found. The dogs did not differentiate between the gestures. In conclusion dogs do not make inferences from competitive communication or prohibition but are specialized in utilizing cooperative communication</p>

I investigated the understanding of human communicative motives in domestic dogs. Dogs use human communicative cues, like the pointing gesture when searching for hidden food, but it is uncertain how dogs interpret human communication. 32 dogs were presented with two communicative contexts in an object choice task experimental design. In a cooperative context the experimenter informed the subject where food was hidden by pointing and giving a verbal indication. In a competitive context the experimenter held out her arm towards the correct location in a stop gesture and firmly said no. To be successful in the competitive context the subject had to understand the experimenters communicative motive and make an inference from the prohibition (i.e. she would only prohibit it if there was something good there). The average correct choices were compared between the conditions. The dogs successfully followed the cooperative communication. They showed a trend towards choosing the baited cup in the competitive condition. A second study tested if the stop gesture affected the dogs’ choice, since it is not known how dogs interpret gestures. The pointing cue was now presented with the prohibiting command and the stop gesture was presented with the cooperative verbal cue. The dogs used the cooperative communication but did not understand the competitive context. A difference between the contexts was found. The dogs did not differentiate between the gestures. In conclusion dogs do not make inferences from competitive communication or prohibition but are specialized in utilizing cooperative communication

To investigate the ability for animals to understand human communication signals and the communication between animals and humans, scientists often investigate the understanding of human gestural cues. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) which have a long history of co-evolution with humans have been shown to make good use of human gestural cues. In the present study I investigated whether dogs in general understand a human pointing gesture and if there are differences between sex, age or breeds. In total 46 dogs of different breeds participated in the study. The study was carried out in a dog center in Linköping, Hundens och djurens beteendecenter. To test if dogs understand human pointing gestures, a two-way object choice test were used, where an experimenter pointed at a baited bowl at a distance of three meter from the dog. The results showed that dogs in general can understand human pointing gestures. However, no significant differences were found for sex, age or breeds. As a conclusion, I found that dogs in general can understand human pointing gestures, but sex, age or breed did not affect the ability.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:38:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernanda Fernandes da Silva.pdf: 749448 bytes, checksum: ddd06d4b3214fdf4306ee1768cd93443 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-04-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The psychic constitution and its outcome in manhood is the starting point of this research which has as its main goal to investigate the psychogenesis of a perversion case that gathers elements about child sexual experiences, the relationship with parents, its identification and object choice during adulthood. The theoretical material was selected from the imposed necessities by the clinical case in order to favor the conjunction between the case and the theory, once the identificatory conflict experienced by the subject and his repetitions in the affective field consists on the primary element that encouraged this work. Also, the presentation of the &#8213;normal&#8214; psychic constitution was necessary for the understanding of how intrinsic are the poles between normal and pathological. It is to Freud that we owe the decrease between these borders. He uncovered the manifestations of the child sexual polymorphism and its effects on the subject adult life; this will be another aspect to be investigated on this research. I have used Freud s theory in parallel with Aulagnier s contributions, especially with reference to the desire and pre investment of the parents about their child psychic constitution. Other contemporary authors still complement both the theoretical research as well as the articulations made from the clinical case analysis / A constituição psíquica e seu desfecho na masculinidade é o ponto inicial desta pesquisa que tem como objetivo principal investigar a psicogênese de um caso de perversão que reúne elementos acerca de experiências sexuais infantis, a relação com os pais, suas identificações e a escolha objetal na vida adulta. O material teórico foi selecionado a partir das necessidades impostas pelo caso clínico, a fim de favorecer a articulação entre o caso e a teoria, uma vez que o conflito identificatório vivenciado pelo sujeito e suas repetições no campo afetivo consistem no elemento primário que fomentou este trabalho. Assim também, a apresentação da constituição psíquica &#8213;normal&#8214; se fez necessária à compreensão do quão intrínseco estão os polos entre normal e patológico. É a Freud que devemos a diminuição entre essas fronteiras, ele desnudou as manifestações do polimorfismo sexual infantil e seus efeitos na vida do sujeito adulto; este será outro aspecto a ser investigado nesta pesquisa. Utilizei a teoria freudiana em paralelo às contribuições de Aulagnier, especialmente no que se refere à influência do desejo e do pré-investimento dos pais sobre a constituição psíquica do filho. Outros autores contemporâneos complementam ainda, tanto a pesquisa teórica como as articulações feitas a partir da análise do caso clínico

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:38:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Manoel Paulo Taveira Junior.pdf: 497359 bytes, checksum: 935c16d9d7d774677217ff4865159f98 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-19 / This work aims to investigate the origins and effects of passion through a case study. It is a study of the psychoanalytic clinic that aims to articulate metapsychological concepts of S. Freud's work taking as spine the history of the subject in question. The first chapter is dedicated to discuss the concepts of object-choice and fetishism. The second chapter is devoted to investigate and discuss the concept of the Oedipus complex, ideal Self, and the experience of illusion inherent passions. The third chapter discusses the concepts of mourning and melancholia. Clinical material are presented in each chapter to illustrate the chosen metapsychological concepts and indicate vividly the suffering experienced by the subject of the case, as well as his ability to "cure" / Este trabalho tem a finalidade de investigar as origens e os efeitos da paixão através de um estudo de caso. É um estudo sobre a clínica psicanalítica que objetiva a articulação de conceitos metapsicológicos da obra S. Freud tomando como coluna vertebral parte da história do sujeito em questão. O primeiro capítulo dedica-se a discutir os conceitos de escolha objetal e fetichismo. O segundo capítulo dedica-se a investigar e discutir o conceito de complexo de Édipo, ideal do Eu e a ilusão inerente às paixões. O terceiro capítulo aborda os conceitos de luto e melancolia. Em cada capítulo são apresentados materiais clínicos com a finalidade de ilustrar os conceitos metapsicológicos escolhidos e indicar com vivacidade o sofrimento experienciado pelo sujeito do caso, bem como suas possibilidades de cura