Experiential Influences on Perceptual, Communicative, and Neural Capacities

非技术摘要 提案编号：9809883体验对感知、沟通和神经能力的影响 梅雷迪思·J 安德鲁·金 本研究的目的是通过对鸟类鸣唱学习的研究，探讨社会经验的差异对声音交流发展的影响。 概述了三个目标。首先，成人社会模式对青少年学习者的影响将通过操纵成人刺激的性质进行检查。 衡量社会影响的效果包括年轻人的声音增长，信号的使用和成年人的能力。 第二，女性的知觉偏好的声音信号将被研究，以探索在接收器的可修改性。 衡量标准包括对声音播放的反应和对潜在配偶的辨别。 鸟类前脑的神经研究包括与大脑组织的声音理解在女性和男性的社会能力。 这项工作的结果应该促进对早期社会环境对声乐和知觉学习的影响的认识，学习是个人成功的基础。 这一主题对包括人类在内的许多物种都有广泛的影响，因为鸟类的声音学习是识别语言学习潜在机制的主要模型之一。 特别重要的是，有可能确定以前被忽视的指导来源，包括视觉刺激。 对大脑和行为的协调研究也为测量行为体验如何影响大脑发育本身奠定了基础。

NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Proposal Number: 9809883 Experiential Influences on Perceptual, Communicative, and Neural Capacities Meredith J., King, Andrew P. The aim of the research is to explore the effects of differences in social experience on the development of vocal communication through studies of song learning in birds. Three objectives are outlined. First, the influence of adult social models on juvenile learners will be examined by manipulating the nature of adult stimulation. Measures of the effects of social influence include vocal growth in the young, use of signals, and competence as adults. Second, female perceptual preferences for vocal signals will be studied to explore modifiability in receivers. Measures include responsiveness to vocal playback and discrimination of potential mates. Neural studies of the avian forebrain are included to relate brain organization to vocal comprehension in females and to social competence in males. The results of the work should advance knowledge of the effects of early social environments on vocal and perceptual learning, learning that is fundamental to an individual's success. This topic has broad implications for many species, including humans, as avian vocal learning is one of the premier models for identifying potential mechanisms of language learning. Of special significance is the possibility of identifying previously ignored sources of instruction including visual stimulation. The coordinated studies of brain and behavior also set the stage for measuring how behavioral experiences affect brain growth itself.