Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning
Statistical learning is the ability to extract patterned information from continuous sensory signals. Recent evidence suggests that auditory-motor mechanisms play an important role in auditory statistical learning from speech signals. The question remains whether auditory-motor mechanisms support su...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Cognition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.journalofcognition.org/index.php/up-j-jc/article/view/351 |
| _version_ | 1797261679379087360 |
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| author | Sam Boeve Riikka Möttönen Eleonore H.M. Smalle |
| author_facet | Sam Boeve Riikka Möttönen Eleonore H.M. Smalle |
| author_sort | Sam Boeve |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Statistical learning is the ability to extract patterned information from continuous sensory signals. Recent evidence suggests that auditory-motor mechanisms play an important role in auditory statistical learning from speech signals. The question remains whether auditory-motor mechanisms support such learning generally or in a domain-specific manner. In Experiment 1, we tested the specificity of motor processes contributing to learning patterns from speech sequences. Participants either whispered or clapped their hands while listening to structured speech. In Experiment 2, we focused on auditory specificity, testing whether whispering equally affects learning patterns from speech and non-speech sequences. Finally, in Experiment 3, we examined whether learning patterns from speech and non-speech sequences are correlated. Whispering had a stronger effect than clapping on learning patterns from speech sequences in Experiment 1. Moreover, whispering impaired statistical learning more strongly from speech than non-speech sequences in Experiment 2. Interestingly, while participants in the non-speech tasks spontaneously synchronized their motor movements with the auditory stream more than participants in the speech tasks, the effect of the motor movements on learning was stronger in the speech domain. Finally, no correlation between speech and non-speech learning was observed. Overall, our findings support the idea that learning statistical patterns from speech versus non-speech relies on segregated mechanisms, and that the speech motor system contributes to auditory statistical learning in a highly specific manner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:45:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f600c90fefa94b5fb455a2f85e3a2cc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2514-4820 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:45:03Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Cognition |
| spelling | doaj.art-f600c90fefa94b5fb455a2f85e3a2cc32024-03-15T08:12:19ZengUbiquity PressJournal of Cognition2514-48202024-02-0171252510.5334/joc.351350Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical LearningSam Boeve0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7140-3443Riikka Möttönen1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4533-4277Eleonore H.M. Smalle2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2363-5693Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, GhentCognitive Science, Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, BE; Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, TilburgStatistical learning is the ability to extract patterned information from continuous sensory signals. Recent evidence suggests that auditory-motor mechanisms play an important role in auditory statistical learning from speech signals. The question remains whether auditory-motor mechanisms support such learning generally or in a domain-specific manner. In Experiment 1, we tested the specificity of motor processes contributing to learning patterns from speech sequences. Participants either whispered or clapped their hands while listening to structured speech. In Experiment 2, we focused on auditory specificity, testing whether whispering equally affects learning patterns from speech and non-speech sequences. Finally, in Experiment 3, we examined whether learning patterns from speech and non-speech sequences are correlated. Whispering had a stronger effect than clapping on learning patterns from speech sequences in Experiment 1. Moreover, whispering impaired statistical learning more strongly from speech than non-speech sequences in Experiment 2. Interestingly, while participants in the non-speech tasks spontaneously synchronized their motor movements with the auditory stream more than participants in the speech tasks, the effect of the motor movements on learning was stronger in the speech domain. Finally, no correlation between speech and non-speech learning was observed. Overall, our findings support the idea that learning statistical patterns from speech versus non-speech relies on segregated mechanisms, and that the speech motor system contributes to auditory statistical learning in a highly specific manner.https://account.journalofcognition.org/index.php/up-j-jc/article/view/351auditory statistical language learningspeech motor systemdomain-specificity |
| spellingShingle | Sam Boeve Riikka Möttönen Eleonore H.M. Smalle Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning Journal of Cognition auditory statistical language learning speech motor system domain-specificity |
| title | Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning |
| title_full | Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning |
| title_fullStr | Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning |
| title_short | Specificity of Motor Contributions to Auditory Statistical Learning |
| title_sort | specificity of motor contributions to auditory statistical learning |
| topic | auditory statistical language learning speech motor system domain-specificity |
| url | https://account.journalofcognition.org/index.php/up-j-jc/article/view/351 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samboeve specificityofmotorcontributionstoauditorystatisticallearning AT riikkamottonen specificityofmotorcontributionstoauditorystatisticallearning AT eleonorehmsmalle specificityofmotorcontributionstoauditorystatisticallearning |