Social Factors in Vocal Development

本研究将探讨一个声乐学习的模型系统，鸟类鸣叫学习。这项研究将集中于社会因素的作用，并将对这些因素的几种不同假设进行对比。根据直接互动假说，幼鸟通过与老鸟互动来学习鸣叫。根据社会窃听假说，幼鸟主要通过从它观察或无意中听到的其他鸟类之间的互动中提取信息来学习。根据社会优势假说，关键信息涉及鸟类的优势关系，而根据歌唱规则假说，关键信息涉及哪些歌曲是对其他歌曲的适当回应。这些假设将使用新开发的“虚拟导师”系统进行测试，该系统既可以模拟互动歌手，也可以直接与受试者互动。该系统还捕获了许多活反唱鸟的特征，同时允许研究者比活鸟更多的实验控制。将在实地进行平行研究。鸣禽的鸣叫声学习已经在实验室中进行了广泛的分析，部分原因是它与人类语言学习有许多相似之处，它已经成为研究学习神经生物学和遗传学的主要模型系统。直到最近，人们才认识到另一种与人类语言学习相似的现象；即社会因素在声乐学习中的作用。本研究将进一步开发该学习模型系统的实用性。这项研究将支持研究生和本科生。它还将在公共教育中发挥作用，以在探索公园（Discovery Park）进行的实地研究为特色。探索公园是由西雅图公园娱乐公司（Seattle Parks & Recreation）运营的一个占地532英亩的自然区域公园。

This research will examine a model system of vocal learning, bird song learning. The research will concentrate on the role of social factors, and will contrast several different hypotheses about these factors. According to the direct interaction hypothesis, young birds learn songs by interacting with older birds. According to the social eavesdropping hypothesis, the young bird learns primarily by extracting information from interactions among other birds that he observes or overhears. According to the social dominance hypothesis, the key information concerns the dominance relationships of those birds, while according to the singing rules hypothesis, the key information concerns which songs are appropriate replies to other songs. These hypotheses will be tested using the newly-developed 'virtual tutor' system which can both simulate interacting singers and interact directly with the subject. This system also captures many of the features of live counter-singing birds while permitting the investigator more experimental control than is possible with live birds. Parallel studies will be carried out in the field.Song learning in songbirds has been analyzed extensively in the laboratory and, in part because of its many parallels with human language learning, it has become a major model system for studying the neurobiology and genetics of learning. It is only recently that another parallel with human language learning has been recognized; i.e., the role of social factors in vocal learning. This research will further develop the utility of this model system of learning. The research will support both graduate and undergraduate students. It will also play a role in public education, featuring the field research which takes place at Discovery Park, a 532-acre natural area park operated by Seattle Parks & Recreation.