More on the importance of rhythm perception: Relation to grammar

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

2:45 PM

 

Research Briefs 5-31-10: Timing and speech comprehension

Dahan, D. (2010). The Time Course of Interpretation in Speech Comprehension. Current Directions in
Psychological Science, 19(2), 121-126.

Abstract

Determining how language comprehension proceeds over time has been central to theories of human language use. Early research on the comprehension of speech in real time put special emphasis on the sequential property of speech, by assuming that the interpretation of what is said proceeds at the same rate that information in the speech signal reaches the senses. The picture that is emerging from recent work suggests a more complex process, one in which information from speech has an immediate influence while enabling later-arriving information to modulate initial hypotheses. “Right-context” effects, in which the later portion of a spoken stimulus can affect the interpretation of an earlier portion, are pervasive and can span several syllables or words. Thus, the interpretation of a segment of speech appears to result from the accumulation of information and integration of linguistic constraints over a larger temporal window than the duration of the speech segment itself. This helps explain how human listeners can understand language so efficiently, despite massive perceptual uncertainty in the speech signal.

Technorati Tags: Psychology, school psychology, educational psychology, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, neurosciences, neurotechnology, neurology, brain, brain function, cognitive abilities, intelligence, IQ brain clock, brain timing, mental timekeeping, brain rhythms, rhythm perception, brain synchrony, brain synchronization, neural synchrony, neural synchronization, brain clock, speech, language

Research byte: Ga (auditory sound processing) and cognitive development: Auditory scaffolding hypothosis

I ran across this very interest article in one of my favorite journals for short and concise up-to-date summaries of contemporary cognitive research.  Given the apparent role of temporal and serial processing in mental timing behavior (IQ Brain Clock), it reinforces the notion that auditory processing (Ga) is a primary and important cognitive mechanism for intellectual and cognitive growth.....according to these authors, vis-a-vis providing a bootstrap or scaffolding mechanism for the development of critical cognitive functions.

Conway,C.  Pisoni, D., & Kronenberger, W. (2009). The Importance of Sound for Cognitive Sequencing Abilities: The Auditory Scaffolding Hypothesis.  Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(5), 275-179 (click here to view) 

ABSTRACT

Sound is inherently a temporal and sequential signal. Experience with sound therefore may help bootstrap— that is, provide a kind of ‘‘scaffolding’’ for—the development of general cognitive abilities related to representing temporal or sequential patterns. Accordingly, the absence of sound early in development may result in disturbances to these sequencing skills. In support of this hypothesis, we present two types of findings. First, normalhearing adults do best on sequencing tasks when the sense of hearing, rather than sight, can be used. Second, recent findings suggest that deaf children have disturbances on exactly these same kinds of tasks that involve learning and manipulation of serial-order information. We suggest that sound provides an ‘‘auditory scaffolding’’ for time and serial-order behavior, possibly mediated through neural connections between the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. Under conditions of auditory deprivation, auditory scaffolding is absent, resulting in neural reorganization and a disturbance to cognitive sequencing abilities.

Technorati Tags: psychology, language, Ga, auditory processing, temporal processing, serial processing, brain clock, mental timing, IQ brain clock, school psychology, educational psychology, cognitive abilities, intelligence, IQ, auditory scaffolding hypothesis, neuroscience, neuropsychology

Time Doc Bytes: Two new exciting brain-based brain clock research studies

Two very interesting research studies reported this past week.

The first used a rare procedure (implanting electrodes in Broca's area of the brain) provides useful information on brain mechanisms involved in the speed, timing and sequence of language behaviors.

The second, based on research with primates, is very intriguing as it suggest the use of a "brain stamp" mechanism for keeping time of events.   Interestingly, and consistent with considerable research posted at this blog before, the focus was on certain brain regions/mechanisms (prefrontal cortex; straitum; dopamine), and implications were mentioned for Parkinson's disease treatment.

Technorati Tags: pscyhology, educational psychology, school psychology, developmental psychology, cognition, intelligence, brain clock, mental timing, temporal processing, IQ Brain Clock, prefrontal cortex, language, Brocas area

Time and language: Special journal issue

Recent research has established that time (the IQ Brain Clock) is very important in speech and language acquisition and behavior. Reflecting this consensus is a new issue of the journal Language Learning that is devoted to the topic of time/temporal processing and language.

I simply do not have the "time" (no pun intended) to read this issue. Listed below is a statement of the journals mission, followed by a listing of the articles in this special issue. I've provided a link to the introductory editorial (click here). If any reader is interested in reading a copy of any of the articles, in exchange for a summary that would be posted as a guest blog post at the IQ Brain Clock blog, drop me an email (iap@earthlink.net)

• Language Learning is a scientific journal dedicated to the understanding of language learning broadly defined. It publishes research articles that systematically apply methods of inquiry from disciplines including psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, educational inquiry, neuroscience, ethnography, sociolinguistics, sociology, and semiotics. It is concerned with fundamental theoretical issues in language learning such as child, second, and foreign language acquisition, language education, bilingualism, literacy, language representation in mind and brain, culture, cognition, pragmatics, and intergroup relations. A subscription includes an annual supplement - a volume from the Best of Language Learning Series or the Language Learning Monograph Series - as well as a biennial monograph - the Language Learning-Max Planck Institute Cognitive Neurosciences Series.

Foreword. (2008). Language Learning, 58, 217-224.

Baggio, G. (2008). Processing Temporal Constraints: An ERP Study. Language Learning, 58, 35-55.

Burt, C. D. B. (2008). Time, Language, and Autobiographical Memory. Language Learning, 58, 123-141.

Carota, F., & Sirigu, A. (2008). Neural Bases of Sequence Processing in Action and Language. Language Learning, 58, 179-199.

Casasanto, D. (2008). Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Whorf? Crosslinguistic Differences in Temporal Language and Thought. Language Learning, 58, 63-79.

Dewaele, J. M., Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2008). Effects of Trait Emotional Intelligence and Sociobiographical Variables on Communicative Anxiety and Foreign Language Anxiety Among Adult Multilinguals: A Review and Empirical Investigation. Language Learning, 58(4), 911-960.

Ellis, N. C. (2008). Temporal Cognition and Temporal Language the First and Second Times Around. Commentary on McCormack and Hoerl. Language Learning, 58, 115-121.

Evans, V. (2008). Simulation Semantics and the Linguistics of Time. Commentary on Zwaan. Language Learning, 58, 27-33.
Graham, S., & Macaro, E. (2008). The role of metacognition in second/foreign language teaching and learning. Language Learning, 58(4), 747-783.

Gullberg, M., & Indefrey, P. (2008). Cognitive and Neural Prerequisites for Time in Language: Any Answers? Language Learning, 58, 207-216.

Jackson, C. (2008). Proficiency Level and the Interaction of Lexical and Morphosyntactic Information During L2 Sentence Processing. Language Learning, 58(4), 875-909.

Kempe, V., & Brooks, P. J. (2008). Second Language Learning of Complex Inflectional Systems. Language Learning, 58(4), 703-746.

Klein, W. (2008). Time in Language, Language in Time. Language Learning, 58, 1-12.

Kolk, H. (2008). Time in Agrammatic Aphasia. Commentary on Wearden. Language Learning, 58, 173-177.

Lazarte, A. A., & Barry, S. (2008). Syntactic Complexity and L2 Academic Immersion Effects on Readers' Recall and Pausing Strategies for English and Spanish Texts. Language Learning, 58(4), 785-834.

McCormack, T., & Hoerl, C. (2008). Temporal Decentering and the Development of Temporal Concepts. Language Learning, 58, 89-113.

Muysken, P. (2008). Nominal Tense. Time for Further Whorfian Adventures? Commentary on Casasanto. Language Learning, 58, 81-88.

Roberts, L. (2008). Processing Temporal Constraints and Some Implications for the Investigation of Second Language Sentence Processing and Acquisition. Commentary on Baggio. Language Learning, 58, 57-61.

Sheen, Y. (2008). Recasts, Language Anxiety, Modified Output, and L2 Learning. Language Learning, 58(4), 835-874.

Tendolkar, I. (2008). How Semantic and Episodic Memory Contribute to Autobiographical Memory. Commentary on Burt. Language Learning, 58, 143-147.

Toni, I. (2008). Sequential Event Processing: Domain Specificity or Task Specificity? Commentary on Carota and Sirigu. Language Learning, 58, 201-205.

Wearden, J. H. (2008). The Perception of Time: Basic Research and Some Potential Links to the Study of Language. Language Learning, 58, 149-171.

Zwaan, R. A. (2008). Time in Language, Situation Models, and Mental Simulations. Language Learning, 58, 13-26.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, language, speech and language, time, temporal processing, IQ Brain Clock, Language Learning

Music, the brain and language: Book review

Musical abilities have been linked to the IQ brain clock (click here for prior posts). Although I've not read the book, there is a published review of a new book on Music, the Brain and Language. I've posted information at my sister blog - IQ's Corner.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropscyhology, neuroscience, language, brain, music, intelligence, IQ

More on speech and the IQ brain clock

Yet another research article [Peter & Stoel-Gammon (2008). Central timing deficits in subtypes of primary speech disorders. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, March 2008; 22(3): 171–198] indicating the importance of mental timing and speech (click here for prior related posts), in this case CAS (childhood apraxia of speech). According to the journal authors, this subtype of speech disorder is somewhat controversial in clinical practice. It is defined as "a motor speech disorder that specifically interferes with motor planning and/or programming, resulting in moderate to severe deficits in speech intelligibility."

The authors conclude that "this study is consistent with the presence of a central timing deficit in children with speechdisorders, expressed across modalities (oral, hand) and across types of timing measures (greater rhythmic structure, small-scale durational accuracy), affecting children with fewer
apraxic characteristics to a lesser extent."

Caveat....this is small sample size study (11 clinical subjects and 11 matched controls) that needs replication in additional samples.


Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, education, neuropsychology, neuroscience, speech, language, apraxia, mental timing, brain clock, IQ Brain Clock, temporal processing

Auditory timing/processing malleability

It is no secret that I love skimming the brief contemporary research synthesis articles published in Current Directions in Psychological Science.

Today I ran across an interesting review (Kraus and Banai, 2007) touching on the malleability/training of auditory processing (Ga) abilities, and, of particular interest to this blog, research touching on auditory timing (mediated by the brainstem) was covered. The article reinforces my belief that brain-based auditory temporal processing timing training interventions may hold promise in education.

Check it out.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuroscience, neuropsychology, auditory, auditory processing, training, interventions, malleability, temporal processing, mental timing, intelligence, brain clock

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Fast ForWord, Ga, mental time-keeping...some musings

Recently there has been some NASP listserv chatter regarding the Fast ForWord neurotechnology intervention program (click here) for kids with language or reading disabilities.

I've still not reviewed the intervention articles, but instead, have tried to find time to read some of the theoretical/empirical foundational literature that serves as the basis for the intervention. In the process I stumbled upon a nice overview of the conceptual/theoretical/research literature as articulated by one of the authors of this intervention program. The article was published (2003) in the prestigious (and one of my favorite) journals--Current Directions in Psychological Science.

• Tallal, P. (2003). Language learning disabilities: Integrating research approaches. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12 (6), 206-211 (click to view).

Below are a few select quotes from the article:

• Why should the rate of auditory processing play such a critical role in normal as well as aberrant language development? One answer comes from an analysis of the acoustic properties of speech, which shows that the ability to track brief, rapidly successive frequency changes within the acoustic waveform of speech (known as formant transitions) is crucial for language development.
• Benasich and I (Benasich Tallal, 2002) have hypothesized that individual differences in rapid-auditory-processing thresholds, which can be observed in infancy, affect what each brain binds together as nearly simultaneous, and this significantly affects the grain analysis that will be represented for speech. Substantial behavioral and physiological evidence shows that many individuals with early oral-language impairments are impaired in processing brief, rapidly successive acoustic cues within the tens of milliseconds needed for optimal phoneme representation. Similarly, many people with reading impairments (dyslexia) are characterized by deficits that reflect a difficulty segmenting words into sharply represented, discrete phonemes. This skill is critical for learning letter-sound associations. has been hypothesized that the high incidence of co-occurrence developmental oral- and writtenlanguage impairments is the result of common phonological deficits for a review, see Habib, 2000).
• However, more recent research has challenged that perspective. Physiological studies have demonstrated that sensory neural maps can be significantly altered at the cellular level by intensive be-havioral training, even in adult animals. Of particular relevance to LLI are animal studies demonstrating that the capacity to segment rapidly successive auditory events can be sharpened by behavioral training based on Hebbian learning principles (Recanzone et al., 1993). On the basis of these studies, my colleagues and I (Merzenich et al., 1996; Tallal et al., 1996) hypothesized that it may be possible to improve the capacity of children with LLI to process the rapidly successive acoustic changes within ongoing speech. With the aid of computer technology, we developed a novel training approach (Fast For-Word®) disguised as a series of computer games. In a series of experiments, we studied the effectiveness of these games in improving the linguistic abilities of children with LLI. In one game, subjects indicate the temporal order of tones that are either rising or falling in pitch. The tones are designed to cover the range of frequencies and speeds that typify the acoustic frequency changes that occur in formant transitions in consonants. The computer program adaptively changes (increases or decreases) the duration of each tone and the rate at which one tone follows another based on each subject’s trial-by-trial performance, with the goal of increasing the ability to process more rapidly changing acoustic stimuli. In another approach, we use a computer algorithm to acoustically modify (amplify and temporally extend) the rapidly successive acoustic changes that occur within ongoing speech. This acoustically modified speech signal is used in a series of games to train language comprehension at all levels, from the phoneme to the whole sentence. As linguistic performance improves, the amount of acoustic modification adaptively decreases so that the stimuli become increasingly more like the stimuli that occur in normal speech.
• These results support the hypothesis that basic acoustic frequency and temporal (spectrotemporal) processing constraints play a significant role in LLI. Furthermore, they demonstrate that training using acoustically modified speech can ameliorate these processing constraints, as well as the effect they have on speech and language processing. Habib et al. (2002) obtained similar results in an independent study with French children with dyslexia.

• Click here to read more.....

I haven't had time to think this all through, but the focus on rapid temporal processing seems to have some parallels to the theoretical and intervention research related to my interest in the IQ Brain Clock--that is, mental or interval time-keeping. I sense some connections....I need to let things percolate in my cortex for a while. Comments by those who can make these connections quicker are appreciated.

Also, this research suggests that there are likely some yet specified narrow Ga (auditory processing) abilities that need to be investigated for possible inclusion in the CHC theory of cognitive abilities.

So many interesting articles to read...so little time

PS - I just recalled a related post at IQ's Corner re: rapid auditory gap detection.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neurotechnology, brain fitness, Ga, auditory processing, Fast ForWord, temporal, temporal processing, brain clock, mental time keeping, interval time keeping, special education, language disordres, dyslexia


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Music and language

Developing Intelligence has an interesting continuation of a thread re:the possible shared neurological mechanisms of music and language.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, music perception, psychology of music, music, language, grammar, intelligence, cognition

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TANGO: Assistive Communication Technology

Thanks to Positive Technology Journal for the FYI post and link to an interesting article about "TANGO: The Next Generation of Assistive Communication Devices"

Technorati Tags: psychology, speech, language, ASHA, assistive communication, assistive technology, communication, neurtechnology, neuroprothesis

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Austism, in my language-powerful video

Thanks to Mind Hacks for the link to the very powerful video apparently created by a young woman with autism...a video where she "translates" from her world of environmental interaction to the more "typical" world of speech and perception imposed upon her by the rest of the world. Very powerful.

This is a dual post to IQs Corner and the IQ Brain Clock.

Technorati Tags: psychology, education, special education, neuroscience, neuropsychology, autism, autistic, intelligence, cognition, perception

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