The link between statistical segmentation and word learning in adults

@article{citeulike:2698667, abstract = {Many studies have shown that listeners can segment words from running speech based on conditional probabilities of syllable transitions, suggesting that this statistical learning could be a foundational component of language learning. However, few studies have shown a direct link between statistical segmentation and word learning. We examined this possible link in adults by following a statistical segmentation exposure phase with an artificial lexicon learning phase. Participants were able to learn all novel object-label pairings, but pairings were learned faster when labels contained high probability (word-like) or non-occurring syllable transitions from the statistical segmentation phase than when they contained low probability (boundary-straddling) syllable transitions. This suggests that, for adults, labels inconsistent with expectations based on statistical learning are harder to learn than consistent or neutral labels. In contrast, a previous study found that infants learn consistent labels, but not inconsistent or neutral labels.}, author = {Mirman, Daniel and Magnuson, James S. and Estes, Katharine G. and Dixon, James A. }, citeulike-article-id = {2698667}, doi = {10.1016/j.cognition.2008.02.003}, journal = {Cognition}, keywords = {cross-situational, statistical-learning, word-learning}, month = {July}, number = {1}, pages = {271--280}, posted-at = {2008-04-22 02:09:57}, priority = {5}, title = {The link between statistical segmentation and word learning in adults}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2008.02.003}, volume = {108}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2698667 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2698667 TI - The link between statistical segmentation and word learning in adults JF - Cognition VL - 108 IS - 1 SP - 271 EP - 280 N2 - Many studies have shown that listeners can segment words from running speech based on conditional probabilities of syllable transitions, suggesting that this statistical learning could be a foundational component of language learning. However, few studies have shown a direct link between statistical segmentation and word learning. We examined this possible link in adults by following a statistical segmentation exposure phase with an artificial lexicon learning phase. Participants were able to learn all novel object-label pairings, but pairings were learned faster when labels contained high probability (word-like) or non-occurring syllable transitions from the statistical segmentation phase than when they contained low probability (boundary-straddling) syllable transitions. This suggests that, for adults, labels inconsistent with expectations based on statistical learning are harder to learn than consistent or neutral labels. In contrast, a previous study found that infants learn consistent labels, but not inconsistent or neutral labels. KW - cross-situational KW - statistical-learning KW - word-learning AU - Mirman, Daniel AU - Magnuson, James AU - Estes, Katharine AU - Dixon, James PY - 2008/07// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2008.02.003 ER -