I. Latent Inhibition and Perceptual Learning

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

I. Latent Inhibition and Perceptual Learning Animal Learning & Behavior 2000.28 (3),211-246 An elemental model ofassociative learning: I. Latent inhibition and perceptual learning 1. P.L. McLAREN and N.J. MACKINTOSH University ojCambridge, Cambridge, England This paper presents a brief, informal outline followed by a formal statement of an elemental asso­ ciative learning model first described by McLaren, Kaye, and Mackintosh (1989). The model assumes representation of stimuli by sets of elements (i.e., microfeatures) and a set of associative algorithms that incorporate the following: real-time simulation of learning; an error-correcting learning rule; weight decay that distinguishes between transient and permanent associations; and modulation of as­ sociative learning that gives high salience to and, hence, promotes rapid learning with novel, unpre­ dieted stimuli and reduces the salience for a stimulus as its error term declines. The model is applied in outline fashion to some of the basie phenomena of simple conditioning and, in greater detail, to the phenomena of latent inhibition and perceptual learning. A detailed account of generalization and dis­ crimination will be provided in a later paper. In this paper, we attempt to show what associative, el­ might be represented. Since those stimuli are typically emental models have to otTerthe learning theorist by con­ lights, tones, buzzers, flavors, and so forth, the question sidering one particular instantiation ofthis type ofmodel, has not seemed to require any very complicated answer. which was originally outlined some years ago (McLaren, The most common, perhaps unreflective, suggestion has Kaye, & Mackintosh, 1989). We begin with a briefintro­ been to take what we shall term an elemental stance, duction to the model, emphasizing the representational which sees stimuli as sets ofelements and generalization assumptions contained in it and giving an overview ofthe between one stimulus and another coming about as a con­ novel mechanisms it contains for salience modulation sequence oftheir sharing common elements. Early state­ and trace decay. This introduction is followed by a more ments ofthis position were provided by Thorndike (1911) formal presentation ofthe model, and we then move on to and Hull (1943), the idea was developed and formalized consider the experimental evidence addressed by the model in statistical learning theory (Atkinson & Estes, 1963; and, in particular, how it copes with data that have come Bush & Mosteller, 1951), and is incorporated without to light in the last decade. In this paper, we focus mainly much comment into such standard modern models as on latent inhibition and perceptual learning, leaving to a Rescorla and Wagner (1972) and Wagner (1981). It was later paper a more detailed discussion ofdiscrimination left to those who were more specifically interested in dis­ and generalization. Our conclusion is that, in general, the crimination learning and choice to consider other possi­ model does sufficiently well to establish just how much bilities. Spence (1952) allowed that although animals can be done with a simple, associative analysis, but there would normally represent discriminative stimuli in an el­ are areas where the model is either inadequate and re­ emental fashion, they were capable, ifnecessary, ofrep­ quires further development or may well be just plain resenting them as compounds (a black door on the left or wrong. In any case, we believe that the representational as­ a white door on the right)---;'ii,point.~fview developed by sumptions and associative mechanisms considered here Medin (1975). Gulliksen and Wolfl'e'(1938) developed a are likely to have some significant role to play in any fu­ fully fledged configural analysis ofdiscrimination learn­ ture theory ofassociative learning. ing, according to which animals trained on a simultaneous black-white discrimination learned to make one response AN OUTLINE OF THE THEORY to the configuration ofblack on the left and white on the right and another to the configuration ofblack on the right Representation ofStimuli and white on the left. Pearce (1987, 1994) has recently done Conditioning theorists have not often taken much trou­ much to revive interest in a configural approach to condi­ ble to specify how the stimuli they use in their experiments tioning and discrimination learning. The most explicit of the elemental theories of condi­ tioning was stimulus-sampling theory (Atkinson & Estes, Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to 1963; Estes, 1959), which conceptualized all stimuli as I. P.L. Mcl.aren, Department of Experimental Psychology, University sets of elements, the elements themselves being simple ofCambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, England (e-mail: primitives (corresponding, perhaps, to what would today [email protected]). be termed the microfeatures of a stimulus). The central -Editor's Note: This article was invited by the editors. postulate of the theory was that only a subset ofthe ele- 211 Copyright 2000 Psychonomic Society, Inc. 212 McLAREN AND MACKINTOSH lated to have a tuning curve, responding most strongly to Pattern of one particular value on the dimension and less strongly to Activation for neighboring values. Thus, variation along a stimulus di­ One Stimulus mension, such as wavelength, will, for the most part, be represented by different sets of units corresponding to ~ different values on the dimension, rather than the activa­ tion level ofan individual unit's being the primary indi­ cator ofvalue on the dimension (Thompson, 1965). Fig­ ure 1 represents this schematically. Each unit's tuning curve is such that it responds most strongly to a certain value on the dimension, and this response drops offwith distance from this optimal value. Note that many units will be active when any stimulus on that dimension is present: Value on Dimension The coding ofposition on the dimension is thus in terms ofa pattern ofactivation. Where we are dealing with vari­ 00000000000000000 ations in intensity, we assume that increases in intensity Units by Ordinal Position on Dimension are represented not only by increases in the activity of units already active, but also by the recruitment ofaddi­ Figure 1. Representation of a stimulus dimension in an ele­ tional neighboring units. Thus, for both kinds ofdimen­ mental system. A given point on the dimension is coded by a pat­ tern of activation over units tuned to different points on that sion, the coding of different values on the dimension is dimension. The pattern of activation indicated is taken to be ap­ achieved partly by differences in which units are activated proximately Gaussian and centered on the stimulus value on the and partly by differences in their level ofactivation. dimension. See the text for more details. 3. Although not random, sampling is selective: Not all the elements ofa given stimulus will actually be sampled during presentation, and hence, not all oftheir correspond­ ments potentially activated by the presentation ofa given ing units will be activated on a given trial. stimulus are actually sampled, and hence active, on any Points 1 and 2 are reasonably straightforward and do one occasion on which the stimulus is presented. This sam­ not, perhaps, require further explanation at this stage. pling postulate allowed the theory to combine the principle But Point 3 does. This sampling assumption allows the ofall-or-none, one-trial learning with the observed real­ theory to predict a gradual improvement in performance ity that conditioning typically proceeds rather slowly. over successive trials, superimposed on significant vari­ Although the elements actually sampled on one trial will ability from one trial to the next. Speed ofconditioning all be fully conditioned on that trial, since they constitute to a particular conditioned stimulus (CS) can be directly only a random subset ofthe total, there will be significant related both to the absolute number ofelements sampled variability in responding from one trial to the next, and and to the proportion ofthe total number ofpossible ele­ conditioning will not be complete until virtually all the ments actually sampled on anyone trial. Neither ofthese elements have been sampled and thus conditioned. predictions requires that sampling be purely random, We take stimulus-sampling theory as our point ofde­ however, and it seems more plausible to suggest that the parture, but neither one-trial learning nor random sam­ sampling process should depend on the nature of the pling of elements are assumed in our theorizing. And stimulus and on any constraints on the organism's ability we also part company with early versions of stimulus­ to inspect or attend to it. For simple stimuli, such as tones sampling theory that, in true stimulus-response tradition, and colored lights, it is reasonable to suppose that there allowed associations to be formed only between stimuli will be relatively little variability in the sampling from one and responses. The critical assumptions we borrow are the instant to the next and that a high proportion ofelements following. will be sampled. For more complex stimuli, such as a vi­ 1. The representation of a stimulus consists of a pat­ sual shape or pattern, a photograph ofa scene, or the ex­ tern of graded activation distributed over a set of units perimental context or operant chamber, whose defining corresponding to the elements ofthe stimulus, rather than characteristics are multiple and distributed over space, there being a one-to-one correspondence
Recommended publications
  • Eleanor J. Gibson from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Eleanor J. Gibson From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eleanor Jack Gibson (7 December 1910 – 30 December 2002) was an American psychologist who focused on reading Eleanor Jack Gibson development and perceptual learning in infants and toddlers. In the 1960s and 1970s Gibson, with her husband James J. Gibson, created the Gibsonian ecological theory of development which emphasized how important perception was because it allows humans to adapt to their environments. Perhaps her most well- known contribution to psychology was the "visual cliff", which studied depth perception and visual or motor impairments in both human and animal species. This led to a new understanding of perceptual development in infants. The environment provides information for the sensory system to develop with increased Eleanor Gibson - Keynote Address - 1993 APS stimuli, so perceptual development corresponds with Convention environmental stimuli. Infants develop from adapting to the Born December 7, 1910 environment. Gibson was elected to the National Academy of Peoria, Illinois Sciences in 1971 and as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1977. In 1992 she was awarded the Died December 30, 2002 (aged 92) National Medal of Science, which is the highest scientific honor Columbia, South Carolina in the United States, and only five of which have been awarded Fields psychology to psychologists. Institutions Cornell University Alma mater Smith College (B.A., 1931) (M.S., 1933) Contents Yale University (Ph.D., 1938) Doctoral Clark L. Hull 1 Biography advisor 2 Legacy timeline Known for Visual Cliff, Differentiation and 3 Representative research 3.1 Perceptual learning Enrichment of Embedded Structures 3.2 Visual cliff Influences James J.
    [Show full text]
  • Perceptual Learning, Awareness, and the Hippocampus
    HIPPOCAMPUS11:776–782(2001) PerceptualLearning,Awareness,andtheHippocampus JosephR.Manns1 andLarryR.Squire2* 1DepartmentofPsychology,UniversityofCalifornia, SanDiego,California 2VeteranAffairsHealthcareSystem,SanDiego,and DepartmentsofPsychiatry,Neurosciences,and Psychology,UniversityofCalifornia, SanDiego,California ABSTRACT: Declarativememorydependsonthehippocampusand independentofthemedialtemporallobeanddience- relatedmedialtemporallobeanddiencephalicstructures.Declarative phalicstructuresimportantfordeclarativememory. memoryhasusuallybeenfoundtobeavailabletoconsciousrecollection. Afundamentalissueaboutthesememorysystemsis Arecentstudy(ChunandPhelps,NatNeurosci1999;2:844–847)found thatdamagetothemedialtemporallobe(includingthehippocampus) whatcriteria,asidefromanatomy,mightusefullydistin- impairedperformanceonaperceptuallearningtask,yetthelearningwas guishthem.Onecriterionthathasbeenusefulisthat accomplishedintheabsenceofmemoryforthestimuli.Thisfindingraised declarativememorysupportstheflexibleuseofacquired thepossibilitythatsomehippocampus-dependenttasksmaybeinacces- knowledge,whereasnondeclarativememoryismore sibletoawarenessandmaybeperformedwithoutevokingconscious closelytiedtotheoriginallearningsituationandisless memoryprocesses.Usingthesametask,weshowthatwhendamageis confinedlargelytothehippocampalformation,perceptuallearningis accessibletootherresponsesystems(Cohen,1984; intact.Thus,theavailabledatasuggestthatdamagelimitedtothehip- Gliskyetal.,1986a,b;SaundersandWeiskrantz,1989; pocampalformationdoesnotimpairnonconscious(nondeclarative)
    [Show full text]
  • Varieties of Perceptual Learning
    Learning & Behavior 2009, 37 (2), 119-125 doi:10.3758/LB.37.2.119 Varieties of perceptual learning N. J. MACKINTOSH Cambridge University, Cambridge, England Although most studies of perceptual learning in human participants have concentrated on the changes in perr- ception assumed to be occurring, studies of nonhuman animals necessarily measure discrimination learning and generalization and remain agnostic on the question of whether changes in behavior reflect changes in perception. On the other hand, animal studies do make it easier to draw a distinction between supervised and unsupervised learning. Differential reinforcement will surely teach animals to attend to some features of a stimulus array rather than to others. But it is an open question as to whether such changes in attention underlie the enhanced discrimination seen after unreinforced exposure to such an array. I argue that most instances of unsupervised perceptual learning observed in animals (and at least some in human animals) are better explained by appeal to well-established principles and phenomena of associative learning theory: excitatory and inhibitory associations between stimulus elements, latent inhibition, and habituation. According to one definition, perceptual learning “im- a discrimination between a circle and a triangle, the first proves discrimination between stimuli that could not be group learned substantially more quickly than the second. discriminated before the learning; observers may learn The apparently unreinforced prior exposure to circles and to perceive something new that they could not perceive triangles had made them easier to tell apart. The learn- before” (Fahle, 2002a, p. ix). Although Fahle (2002a) used ing that occurred during this phase of the experiment the second part of his definition to exclude (wrongly, in was unsupervised.
    [Show full text]
  • Perceptual Learning and the Technology of Expertise Studies in Fraction Learning and Algebra*
    Perceptual learning and the technology of expertise Studies in fraction learning and algebra* Philip J. Kellmana, Christine Masseyb, Zipora Rothb, Timothy Burkea, Joel Zuckera, Amanda Sawa, Katherine E. Aguerob, and Joseph A. Wisec aUniversity of California, Los Angeles / bUniversity of Pennsylvania / cNew Roads School Learning in educational settings most often emphasizes declarative and proce- dural knowledge. Studies of expertise, however, point to other, equally important components of learning, especially improvements produced by experience in the extraction of information: Perceptual learning. Here we describe research that combines principles of perceptual learning with computer technology to address persistent difficulties in mathematics learning. We report three experiments in which we developed and tested perceptual learning modules (PLMs) to address issues of structure extraction and fluency in relation to algebra and fractions. PLMs focus students’ learning on recognizing and discriminating, or map- ping key structures across different representations or transformations. Results showed significant and persisting learning gains for students using PLMs. PLM technology offers promise for addressing neglected components of learning: Pat- tern recognition, structural intuition, and fluency. Using PLMs as a complement to other modes of instruction may allow students to overcome chronic problems in learning. Keywords: algebra, fluency, fractions, learning technology, mathematics instruction, mathematics learning, pattern recognition,
    [Show full text]
  • On Perceptual Learning and Perspectival Sedimentation
    University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Theses and Dissertations 5-2020 Perceptual Characterization: On Perceptual Learning and Perspectival Sedimentation Anthony Holdier University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd Part of the Cognitive Psychology Commons, and the Epistemology Commons Citation Holdier, A. (2020). Perceptual Characterization: On Perceptual Learning and Perspectival Sedimentation. Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3656 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Perceptual Characterization: On Perceptual Learning and Perspectival Sedimentation A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Philosophy by Anthony Holdier Colorado State University Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, 2009 Denver Seminary Master of Arts in Philosophy of Religion, 2012 May 2020 University of Arkansas This thesis is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. ________________________ Jack Lyons, Ph.D. Thesis Director ________________________ ________________________ Amanda McMullen, Ph.D. Eric Funkhouser, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member Abstract In her analysis of perspectival effects on perception, Susanna Siegel has argued that perceptual experience is directly rationally assessable and can thereby justify perceptual beliefs, save for in cases of epistemic downgrade or perceptual hijacking; I contend that the recalcitrance of known illusions poses an insurmountable problem for Siegel‘s thesis. In its place, I argue that a model of perceptual learning informed by the dual-aspect framework of base-level cognitive architecture proposed by Elisabeth Camp successfully answers the questions motivating Siegel‘s project in a manner that avoids such issues.
    [Show full text]
  • Gibson E J. Principles of Perceptual Learning and Development. New York: Appleton- Century-Crofts, 1969
    NUMBER 41 This Week’s Citation Classic OCTOBER 8, 1979 Gibson E J. Principles of perceptual learning and development. New York: Appleton- Century-Crofts, 1969. 537 p. This book surveyed traditional and current “It is gratifying, therefore, to see that the theories of perceptual learning and problems discussed in this book and the presented the author’s theory, that attempt to provide a frame-work for perceptual learning is a process of understanding them have had an impact. differentiation of distinctive features of objects, permanent features of the spatial The book alone, however, was not layout and invariants of events. The theory responsible for the progress that has taken is applied to phylogenetic development of place since its publication in our knowledge perception over species and especially to of perceptual development. There is always development of perceiving objects, an element of luck in the success of a book or places, events, and pictorial and symbolic a theory. There has to be an audience ready information in children. [The Science to listen and experimental progress depends ® ® Citation Index (SCI ) and the Social on concomitant advances in technology. Sciences Citation Index™(SSCI™) indicate that this book has been cited over 365 Fortunately, the theory and these factors times since 1969.] appeared together at the right time. Psychologists were dissatisfied with S-R learning theory and were ready to pay attention to a theory of perceptual learning. At the same time, new methods of studying Eleanor J. Gibson perception in infants were being worked out Department of Psychology and a whole new field of research opened Cornell University up.
    [Show full text]
  • Perceptual Learning Style As an Influence on the Practising of Instrument Students in Higher Music Education
    Perceptual Learning Style as an Influence on the Practising of Instrument Students in Higher Music Education Albi Odendaal Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts, Helsinki Studia Musica 56 Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts, Helsinki Department of Music Education, Jazz and Folk Music Studia Musica 56 © Albi Odendaal 2013 Printed in Cape Town, South Africa www.printondemand.co.za Initial layout and typesetting done with OpenOffice.org 3 by Oracle. Gratitude is expressed to the developers and opensource community. ii Abstract Odendaal, Albi (2013). Perceptual Learning Style as an Influence on the Practising of Instrument Students in Higher Music Education. Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts, Helsinki. Department of Music Education, Jazz and Folk Music. Studia Musica 56. Doctoral Dissertation. 138 pages. This thesis reports an investigation of the applicability of the theory of perceptual learning style to the practising of Western Classical instrument students in higher music education. Perceptual learning style claims that it is possible to differentiate between individuals on the basis of their preference for gathering information through one of three sensory modality channels: visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. The application of these claims to musical learning is shown to be problematic through two studies that are described in the thesis. The first study used a researcher-designed questionnaire on practising strategy selection to investigate whether patterns that emerge from the self-report of students in the Sibelius Academy conform to the claims of perceptual learning style theory. The questionnaire was based on claims by authors who argue for the application of perceptual learning style to musical learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Embodied Cognition and the Arts Conference CTSA UCI 8-10 Dec 2016
    ! Perceptual Learning and the Emergence of Performer-Instrument Interactions with Digital Music Systems Proceedings of A Body of Knowledge - Embodied Cognition and the Arts conference CTSA UCI 8-10 Dec 2016 Adnan Marquez-Borbon Marquez-Borbon 2 Abstract The relationship between human and computers within the area of HCI has shifted from being represented by cognitive, information-processing approaches to more recent situated and embodied perspectives. This matter has analogously developed within interactive digital musical system research. However, the nature of this interaction, while commonly drawing upon J.J. Gibson’s theory of affordances for analysis, often fails to characterize the emergent relationship between performer and musical system. This has led to regard affordances as mere design features, as well as taking for granted the skillful contributions of the performer. Interactions in this manner are represented as static. In this paper, I present the findings of a long-term phenomenological research study describing the evolving nature of performer-instrument interactions. I resort to E.J. Gibson’s perceptual learning approach to frame the experiences of performers, both individually and socially, as they learned to play a new digital musical instrument, the Pulley Synth. I argue that the nature of such interactions is grounded on learning and that the changing perception of the system contributes to the process of enskilment. In this view, more than being an acquisition of conceptual knowledge of the instrument’s operation, learning suggests a holistic behavioral change towards the system in which musical and sonic possibilities of the entire performer-instrument-environment ecology are explored and enacted.
    [Show full text]
  • Gibson's Theory of Perceptual Learning
    Gibson’s Theory of Perceptual Learning Karen E. Adolph Kari S. Kretch New York University This entry describes the key ideas of the influential psychologist Eleanor J. Gibson, developed over 70 years of research with infants, children, adults, and a wide range of nonhuman species. Gibson’s ecological approach to perceptual learning and development describes how perception—extracting meaningful information from the environment to guide actions adaptively—improves with experience, the acquisition of new means of exploration, and the development of new perception-action systems. Keywords: affordance; cognitive development; comparative psychology; developmental psychology; differentiation; ecological approach; exploratory activity; infancy; learning; perception; perception-action; perceptual learning; psychology Cross-references: Cognitive development during infancy and early childhood; Perceptual development during infancy and early childhood; Development of motor skills during infancy and early childhood; Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; Acquisition of reading skills during infancy and early childhood; Neonatal phase of human development; Infancy phase of human development; Early childhood phase of human development; middle childhood phase of human development; adolescent childhood phase of human development; Applications of laboratory observation in developmental psychology; Applications of experimental paradigms in developmental psychology; Play during infancy and early childhood; Learning theories and educational paradigms; Learning to learn; Cognitive development: Learning and instruction; Comparative evolutionary psychology; Human behavioral ecology; Learning to Perceive or Perceiving to Learn? failing to capture how infants learn to detect the perceptual information for guiding action adaptively as their percep- Eleanor Jack Gibson built her theory of perceptu- tual-motor systems are developing. In fact, she considered al learning over a 70-year research career.
    [Show full text]
  • Infants' Understanding of Physical Phenomena : a Perceptual Hypothesis
    University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1997 Infants' understanding of physical phenomena : a perceptual hypothesis. Thomas Harold Schilling University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Schilling, Thomas Harold, "Infants' understanding of physical phenomena : a perceptual hypothesis." (1997). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 3272. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/3272 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UMA8S { 3150bb ono 3 FIVE COLLEGE DEPOSITORY :i? i ,T : - ’ ’ r ' / ' ; !vi; , ' ' - ‘ • - XM 4 , v" - ' - - ;:- a -\ ' . > \-; . v 'r* : M ?, '• ‘"“‘ r 1 • v - v v- v , ; : zb . S • " r - ' •' *! INFANTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF PHYSICAL PHENOMENA: A PERCEPTUAL HYPOTHESIS A Dissertation Presented by THOMAS HAROLD SCHILLING Submitted to the Graduate School of the fulfillment University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY September 1997 Psychology Department Copyright by Thomas Harold Schilling 1997 All Rights Reserved INFANTS' UNDERSTANDING OF PHYSICAL PHENOMENA: A PERCEPTUAL HYPOTHESIS A Dissertation Presented by Thomas H. Schilling Approved as to style and content by: A^ cgr/-£^ Rachel K. Clifton, Chair S Melinda Novak, Department Head Psychology Department DEDICATION To Richard DeCesare who introduced me to the enduring epistemological questions of western philosophy and Beverly Roder who introduced me to the scientific methods that have allowed me to inquire and attempt to develop my own answers.
    [Show full text]
  • Music Review, © 1987 Harwood Academic Publishers Gmbh 1987, Vol
    Contemporary Music Review, © 1987 Harwood Academic Publishers GmbH 1987, Vol. 2 pp. 1-61 Printed in the United Kingdom Photocopying permitted by license only Music: A science of the mind? Stephen McAdams Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique, Paris, France (psychologist) There is an increasing interest in psychological studies of music for the advancement of both musical and scientific thought. An historical perspective of psychological considera- tions of music reveals a trend leading from physical thought through theories of sensation and finally up to modern cognitive psychology. What might truly be called the field of music psychology can be shown to exist by an overview of the domains of research covered by contemporary theorists and researchers. Within the framework of cognitive psychology one can demonstrate the importance of mental representation of the various dimensions and structures of music and of organizational processes underlying music listening. The relation between a musical structure and the form that is "accumulated" by a listener depends to a large extent on his or her musical experience within a given culture. A difference in experience may be hypothesized to result from the nature of mental schemata acquired by listeners. A great deal of work is still needed, however, to approach more affective and aesthetic aspects of musical experience. KEY WORDS music psychology, cognition, internal representation, organizational processes, musical form, musical structure. There is one real, and graded, distinction between sciences like the biologies and the physical sciences. The former are unrestricted and their investigator must be prepared to follow their problems into any other science whatsoever.
    [Show full text]
  • Fast Learning of Simple Perceptual Discriminations Reduces Brain Activation in Working Memory and in High-Level Auditory Regions
    Fast Learning of Simple Perceptual Discriminations Reduces Brain Activation in Working Memory and in High-level Auditory Regions Luba Daikhin and Merav Ahissar Downloaded from http://mitprc.silverchair.com/jocn/article-pdf/27/7/1308/1783003/jocn_a_00786.pdf by MIT Libraries user on 17 May 2021 Abstract ■ Introducing simple stimulus regularities facilitates learning tion induced a larger activation in frontoparietal areas known to of both simple and complex tasks. This facilitation may reflect be part of the working memory network. However, only the an implicit change in the strategies used to solve the task when condition with a reference showed fast learning, which was successful predictions regarding incoming stimuli can be accompanied by a reduction of activity in two regions: the left formed. We studied the modifications in brain activity associa- intraparietal area, involved in stimulus retention, and the pos- ted with fast perceptual learning based on regularity detection. terior superior-temporal area, involved in representing auditory We administered a two-tone frequency discrimination task and regularities. We propose that this joint reduction reflects a re- measured brain activation (fMRI) under two conditions: with duction in the need for online storage of the compared tones. and without a repeated reference tone. Although participants We further suggest that this change reflects an implicit strategic could not explicitly tell the difference between these two con- shift “backwards” from reliance mainly on working memory net- ditions, the introduced regularity affected both performance works in the “No-Reference” condition to increased reliance on and the pattern of brain activation. The “No-Reference” condi- detected regularities stored in high-level auditory networks.
    [Show full text]