Learning Complex Auditory Categories

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，洛里霍尔特博士、安德鲁·洛托博士和兰迪·迪尔博士将合作研究复杂的听觉分类（如语音分类）的基本感知和认知过程。该项目的目标之一是开发有效和强大的第二语言训练技术。为了实现这一点，重要的是要了解听觉系统如何处理输入的可变性，以创建有用的类别。在先前NSF的支持下，PI开发了一种方法来训练听众对具有与语音相同复杂性的新颖非语音声音进行分类。这种方法允许研究者完全控制听众的经验，并提供了一个类别学习的视图，因为它正在发生。在本研究计画中，此方法将被应用于研究分类中的特徴决定与权重问题。这些研究的结果将在贝叶斯统计决策框架内进行分析，该框架提供了一种方法来计算“理想观察者”在任务中的表现。因此，它是可能的，以确定是否听众表现最佳，如果不是，发现他们表现出什么样的偏见，在加权strategies.Based上的结果，这些方法，培训方案的L2类别学习将创建和测试，通过培训成人日本听众对英语/l/-/r/。除了更好地理解听觉分类和改进的L2训练技术所产生的更广泛的影响外，该项目还将开发可能对助听器或人工耳蜗新用户的治疗有用的技术。这项研究计划还为学生提供了一个独特的培训机会。参与的三个实验室与世界一流的实验组有着不同的重点（感知系统，认知神经科学，听觉和沟通障碍）。这种跨学科的设置将为学生提供大量的跨学科互动。

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Lori Holt, Dr. Andrew Lotto, and Dr. Randy Diehl will collaboratively investigate the basic perceptual and cognitive processes that underlie complex auditory categorization, such as phonetic categorization.One of the goals of the project is to develop efficient and robust L2 training techniques. In order to accomplish this, it is important to understand how the auditory system deals with variability in the input to create useful categories. With prior NSF support, the PIs have developed a methodology for training listeners to categorize novel non-speech sounds that have some of the same complexity as speech sounds. This approach allows the researcher to have complete control of listeners' experience and provides a view of category learning as it is happening. In this project, this methodology will be applied specifically to study the problem of feature determination and weighting in categorization. Results from these studies will be analyzed within a Bayesian statistical decision framework, which provides a means to compute how an "ideal observer" would perform in the task. Thus, it is possible to determine if listeners are performing optimally and, if not, discover what biases they exhibit in weighting strategies.Based on the results of these methodologies, training regimens for L2 category learning will be created and tested by training adult Japanese listeners on English /l/-/r/. In addition to the broader impact derived from a better understanding of auditory categorization and improved L2 training techniques, this project will develop techniques that may be useful for therapy with new users of hearing aids or cochlear implants. This program of research also provides a unique training opportunity for students. The three laboratories involved are connected to world-class experimental groups with different emphases (perceptual systems, cognitive neuroscience, audition and communication disorders). This inter-disciplinary setting will provide substantial interdisciplinary interaction for students.