Colin Wilson
· ProfessorJohns Hopkins University · Neuroscience
Active 1957–2026
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About
Colin Wilson is a Professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at Johns Hopkins University. His research spans several interconnected areas within cognitive science, focusing primarily on theoretical phonology, experimental phonology and phonetics, and computational cognitive science. In theoretical phonology, his work addresses phonotactics, constraint learning, and the interaction of phonological constraints. His experimental phonology and phonetics research investigates constraints on phonetic variation, cross-language perception and production, and artificial grammar learning. Additionally, Wilson's computational cognitive science research involves probabilistic models of phonology, spatial language, and visual working memory. Through these diverse yet related domains, he contributes to a deeper understanding of the cognitive and computational mechanisms underlying language and perception.
Research topics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computer Science
- Geology
- Geochemistry
- Seismology
- Earth science
- Psychology
- Natural Language Processing
- Geography
- Linguistics
Selected publications
eLife · 2020 · 60 citations
Despite the importance of programming to modern society, the cognitive and neural bases of code comprehension are largely unknown. Programming languages might 'recycle' neurocognitive mechanisms originally developed for natural languages. Alternatively, comprehension of code could depend on fronto-parietal networks shared with other culturally-invented symbol systems, such as formal logic and symbolic math such as algebra. Expert programmers (average 11 years of programming experience) performed…
How Does English Encode ‘Tight’ Vs. ‘Loose-fit’ Motion Events? It’s Complicated
Language Learning and Development · 2023 · 7 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingLinguistic encoding of spatial events has long provided a forum for examining how languages encode space, how children learn their native encodings, and whether cross-linguistic differences affect non-linguistic representations of space. One prominent case concerns motion events in which objects are moved into tight or loose-fit relationships of containment or support. Seminal findings from Bowerman showed that young children learning Korean regularly use specific verbs to encode tight/loose fit…
Contribution of the language network to the comprehension of Python programming code
Brain and Language · 2024-02-22 · 6 citations
article2025-01-01
articleSenior author2025-01-01
articleSenior author
Recent grants
Interpretable neural network models of morphological realization
NSF · $273k · 2020–2024
NSF · $164k · 2011–2016
Frequent coauthors
- 59 shared
B. L. A. Charlier
Victoria University of Wellington
- 55 shared
Simon J. Barker
Victoria University of Wellington
- 42 shared
B. F. Houghton
University of Hawaii System
- 28 shared
M. Myers
Montana State University
- 23 shared
Paul Wallace
University of California, San Francisco
- 23 shared
Graham S. Leonard
GNS Science
- 23 shared
J. A. Gamble
University College Cork
- 20 shared
Finnigan Illsley‐Kemp
Victoria University of Wellington
Education
- 1981
Ph.D., Geology
Imperial College London
- 1977
B.Sc.(Hons), Geology
Imperial College London
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