# Distributed Representation **Domain:** Machine Learning / Cognitive Science / Representation **Doc Type:** Technical Concept Node **Maturity:** Developing **Related:** [[wiki/Artificial Neural Networks|Artificial Neural Networks]], [[wiki/Latent Space|Latent Space]], [[wiki/Geoffrey Hinton|Geoffrey Hinton]] --- ## Definition A **distributed representation** encodes a concept or state across a pattern of activity in many units rather than assigning it to one dedicated symbol or location. Individual units can participate in many representations, while each representation depends on a coordinated population pattern. ## Ontology Context This node describes a representational arrangement. [[wiki/Latent Space|Latent Space]] owns the geometry in which learned representations are organized, and [[wiki/Distributed Relational Compression|Distributed Relational Compression]] owns the continuity-oriented account of preserving relational structure through distributed encoding. ## See Also [[wiki/Latent Space|Latent Space]] · [[wiki/Superposition|Superposition]] · [[wiki/Distributed Relational Compression|Distributed Relational Compression]] · [[wiki/Geoffrey Hinton|Geoffrey Hinton]]