Experiential Influences on Perceptual, Communicative, and Neural Capacities

非技术摘要建议编号：9809883经验对感知、交际和神经能力的影响本研究的目的是通过对鸟类歌唱学习的研究，探索社会经验的差异对发声交流发展的影响。概述了三个目标。首先，将通过操纵成人刺激的性质来考察成人社会模式对青少年学习者的影响。衡量社会影响效果的指标包括年轻人的嗓音发育、信号的使用和成年后的能力。其次，将研究女性对声音信号的感知偏好，以探索接受者的可调性。措施包括对声音回放的反应和对潜在伴侣的歧视。对鸟类前脑的神经研究包括将大脑组织与雌性的发声理解和雄性的社会能力联系起来。这项工作的结果应该会促进人们对早期社会环境对发声和知觉学习的影响的了解，这些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，因为鸟类的发声学习是确定语言学习潜在机制的主要模型之一。具有特殊意义的是确定以前被忽视的教学来源的可能性，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.