Speech and face processing beyond perceptual narrowing: Domain-general vs. domain-specific mechanisms in attunement and its modification

本研究旨在探讨言语和面孔知觉狭窄在婴儿期和幼儿期的发展轨迹及其潜在的调节作用。这项研究的重点是假设知觉的缩小是导致这两个领域信息加工更强分离的过程的第一步。这一假说是通过针对语音和面部加工的相互作用和修改的实验研究来验证的，主要是在试图逆转幼儿和学龄前儿童知觉狭窄影响的训练实验中。此外，我们将研究与生命第一年的狭窄过程有关的神经基础，但也与训练后这一过程的潜在逆转有关。这些结果将为领域通用或领域特定机制对早期人类发展的贡献提供新的见解。

The present project investigates the developmental trajectory of perceptual narrowing in speech and faces and its potential modification during infancy and early childhood. The research focuses on the hypothesis that perceptual narrowing is a first step in a process that leads to a stronger separation of information processing in these two domains. This hypothesis is tested by experimental studies targeting the interactions and modifications of speech and face processing, mainly in training experiments that try to reverse effects of perceptual narrowing in toddlers and preschool children. In addition, we will study the neural underpinnings that are associated with the narrowing process during the first year of life but also with the potential reversal of this process after training. The results will provide new insights into the contribution of domain-general or domain-specific mechanisms to early human development.