Learning Complex Auditory Categories

在国家科学基金会的支持下，Lori Holt博士、Andrew Lotto博士和Randy Diehl博士将合作研究复杂的听觉分类的基本感知和认知过程，例如语音分类。该项目的目标之一是开发高效和强大的二语训练技术。为了做到这一点，重要的是要了解听觉系统如何处理输入中的可变性，以创建有用的类别。在NSF之前的支持下，PI开发了一种方法，用于训练听众对具有与语音声音相同的复杂性的新颖非语音进行分类。这种方法使研究人员能够完全控制听者的体验，并提供了一个正在发生的类别学习的视角。在本项目中，该方法将专门应用于研究分类中的特征确定和加权问题。这些研究的结果将在贝叶斯统计决策框架内进行分析，贝叶斯统计决策框架提供了一种计算“理想观察者”在任务中的表现的方法。因此，可以确定听者是否表现最佳，如果不是，则发现他们在加权策略上表现出的偏见。根据这些方法的结果，将通过对成年日本听者进行英语培训来制定和测试第二语言类别学习的训练方案/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的新使用者进行治疗有用的技术。这一研究项目也为学生提供了一个独特的培训机会。涉及的三个实验室连接到不同侧重点(感知系统、认知神经科学、听力和沟通障碍)的世界级实验小组。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.