Analysing the Hierarchical Organization of Text by Using Biologically-Inspired Statistical Methods

Abstract

We have binarily encoded written monologues in a similar manner to the encoding of a continuous electrical signal of neuronal networks. The encoding keys have been carefully designed to include phrases that are co-referents. Only such keys produce binary series, which have an hierarchical fractal structure. This fractal structure can be revealed by using a statistical tool named “Fano factor”. By outlining the analogy between the hierarchical structure of neuronal electrical activity and the hierarchical structure of text, we try to link the organization of text and neuronal activity.

Acknowledgments

We thank Vladislav Volman for helpful discussions at the early stages of this research, Yonatan Becker for his valuable remarks while reading this manuscript, and Alan J. Atlas for proofing this manuscript.