scholarly journals Natural sound characteristics explain perceptual categorization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Chen ◽  
Freddy Trinh ◽  
Nicol Harper ◽  
Livia de Hoz
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Spectral Composition ◽  
Stimulus Dimension ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Perceptual Categorization ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Sensory Environment ◽  
Specific Dimension ◽  
Natural Sound ◽  
Predictive Content

AbstractAs we interact with our surroundings, we encounter the same or similar objects from different perspectives and are compelled to generalize. For example, we recognize dog barks as a distinct class of sound, despite the variety of individual barks. While we have some understanding of how generalization is done along a single stimulus dimension, such as frequency or color, natural stimuli are identifiable by a combination of dimensions. To understand perception, measuring the interaction across stimulus dimensions is essential. For example, when identifying a sound, does our brain focus on a specific dimension or a combination, such as its frequency and duration? Furthermore, does the relative relevance of each dimension reflect its contribution to the natural sensory environment? Using a 2-dimension discrimination task for mice we tested untrained generalization across several pairs of auditory dimensions. We uncovered a perceptual hierarchy over the tested dimensions that was dominated by the sound’s spectral composition. A model tuned to the predictability inherent in natural sounds best explained the behavioral results, suggesting that the perceptual hierarchy parallels the predictive content of natural sounds.

The Concept of Generalization in Behaviour Therapy

1982 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Lindsay ◽  
Bertram E. Stoffelmayr
Keyword(s):  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Stimulus Dimension ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Stimulus Generalization ◽  
Behaviour Therapy ◽  
Treatment Situation ◽  
Response Generalization ◽  
Principles Of Learning

Several writers have been interested in the extent to which behaviour therapy techniques are derived from the principles of learning. The present paper reviews this issue with respect to stimulus generalization and response generalization in behaviour therapy. Generalization has been a problem because many therapists have reported that newly learned skills and behaviours have not transferred outside the treatment situation to settings in the patients' or clients' life. Reviewing the literature on stimulus generalization it is concluded that in research on learning theory, stimulus generalization is shown to occur along a single stimulus dimension while in the behaviour therapy literature researchers often attempt to produce generalization across many stimulus dimensions simultaneously and as a result generalization may be poor. It is suggested that subsequent therapy and research should be designed so that treatment situations and generalization situations differ on as few stimulus dimensions as possible, thus maximizing the probability of generalization. With respect to response generalization it is felt that the concept is weak as an explanation for behaviour change and it may be more useful to consider that behaviours are functionally related, so that changes in behaviour A will produce changes in behaviour B or that covert responses may account for changes in untreated behaviours. Finally, a recommendation is made that therapists be more precise about the stimulus dimensions along which they wish behaviour to generalize.

scholarly journals Animal learning in a multidimensional discrimination task as explained by dimension-specific allocation of attention

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Aluisi ◽  
Anna Rubinchik ◽  
Genela Morris
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Weighted Average ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Stimulus Dimension ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Learning Stage ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Attention Model ◽  
Decision Weights

AbstractReinforcement learning describes the process by which during a series of trial-and-error attempts, actions that culminate in reward are strengthened. When the actions are based on sensory stimuli, an association is formed between the stimulus, the action and the reward. Computational, behavioral and neurobiological accounts of this process successfully explain simple stimulus-response learning. However, if the cue is multi-dimensional, identifying which of its features are relevant for the reward is not trivial, and the underlying cognitive process is poorly understood. To study this we adapted an intra-dimensional/ extra-dimensional set-shifting paradigm to train rodents on a multidimensional sensory discrimination task. In our setup, stimuli of different modalities (spatial, olfactory and visual) are combined into complex cues and manipulated independently. In each set, only a single stimulus dimension is relevant for reward. To distinguish between learning and decision-making we suggest a weighted attention model (WAM). It combines a learning model where each feature-dimension is reinforced separately with a decision rule that chooses an alternative according to a weighted average of learnt values, in which weight is associated with each dimension. We estimated the parameters of the WAM (decision weights, learning rate and noise) and demonstrated that is outperforms an alternative model in which a value learnt is assigned to each combination of features, or every state. Estimated decision weights of WAM reveal an experience-based bias in learning. The intra-dimensional set shift separated the decision weights. While in the first phase of the experiment the weights were roughly the same, in the second phase the weight on the dimension that was key to finding the reward became higher than others. After the extra-dimensional shift this dimension became irrelevant, however its decision weight remained high for the early learning stage in this last phase, providing an explanation for the poor performance of the animals. By the end of the phase when the rats performance improved, the weights for the two dimensions converged. Thus, estimated weights can be viewed as a possible way to quantify the experience-based bias.

Chapter V: Animal Intelligence and Expression

1980 ◽  
Vol 25 (S1) ◽  
pp. 84-95
Author(s):  
Richard Albert Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Single Point ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Animal Intelligence ◽  
Origin Of Language ◽  
Definite Answer ◽  
Natural Sound

The goal of truth lies in a single point from which we can survey all sides and discover that no animal can invent language, that no God must invent it, and that man as a human being can and must invent it.—HERDER, Origin of Language, 1772.Since these animal cries have purposive significance similar to that of language, in what respect do they differ from language? I shall try to give a definite answer to this question.First, they are inarticulate while language is articulate. And what precisely does ‘inarticulate’ mean? It means (1) that these cries are not explicitly articulated sounds with clear-edged beginnings, middles, and endings, as are the word-sounds ‘h-a-p’ and ‘h-o-p,’ or ‘d-i-g’ and ‘d-i-p,’ so that one sound can be clearly and definitely differentiated from another; and (2), as a corollary to this, the sounds have no conventional meanings; that is, they are not invested each with an arbitrary and definite connptation quite apart from any natural sound-suggestion which they may have, so that one sound stands exclusively for one thing, another sound for another thing, as do the words of language like ‘wolf and ‘bear.’ In other words, the animals’ cries are natural cries as distinguished from the conventionalized sounds which we call words, and they have the characteristic vagueness or indefiniteness of significance which all natural sounds have. In this respect of natural vagueness of significance the cries of animals resemble the mechanical sounds in nature, though differing from these in expressing purpose.

Development of Selectivity for Natural Sounds in the Songbird Auditory Forebrain

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 3517-3531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noopur Amin ◽  
Allison Doupe ◽  
Frédéric E. Theunissen
Keyword(s):  
Neural Development ◽  
Auditory Stimuli ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Auditory Neurons ◽  
Developmental Effect ◽  
Song Recognition ◽  
Auditory Forebrain ◽  
Natural Sound ◽  
Field L

In adult songbirds, auditory neurons in the primary auditory forebrain region of field L and a secondary auditory forebrain region of caudal mesopallium (CM) are highly responsive to natural sounds, such as conspecific song. Because these nuclei are involved in sensory representations of songs, we investigated how their function changes during development. We recorded neural responses to conspecific and tutor song and acoustically matched synthetic sounds in field L and lateral CM (CLM) of urethane-anesthetized juvenile male zebra finches of approximately 35 days of age. At this age, juvenile songbirds are memorizing the songs of their adult tutors but do not yet sing mature song. They are also starting to recognize songs of individual conspecifics. Compared with adult auditory forebrain neurons, juvenile neurons in field L were on average less responsive to auditory stimuli and exhibited less selectivity for natural sounds compared with the synthetic sounds. This developmental effect was more pronounced in the secondary subregions of L1 and L3 than in the primary thalamo-recipient subregion L2 of field L. CLM showed adultlike selectivity for natural sounds. Also, we did not find any evidence of memory for the tutor song in either field L or CLM. We note that the neural development of selective responses to conspecific song in the secondary subregions of field L is correlated with the emergence of individual song preference around 35 days of age. Therefore we suggest that the emergence of natural sound selectivity in field L could be important for the behavioral development of song recognition.

Effects of Overtraining on Reversal and Nonreversal Discrimination Shifts in a Free Operant Situation

1964 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 927-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles N. Uhl
Keyword(s):  
Irrelevant Stimulus ◽  
Stimulus Dimension ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Reversal Shift ◽  
Nonreversal Shift ◽  
Acquisition Criterion ◽  
Free Operant ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Free Operant Situation

Rats were trained on a single-stimulus, successive discrimination in a free operant situation. An irrelevant stimulus dimension was present at ail times. Following attainment of the acquisition criterion, Ss were shifted immediately or given 4 or 8 days of overtraining before being shifted. Half of Ss were given a reversal shift and half a nonreversal shift. Overtraining did not affect reversal or nonreversal learning. These results were contrasted with those of Mackintosh (1962). Various theoretical issues were discussed in light of the present findings. It was tentatively concluded that the overtraining effect depends upon the role of observing behavior in the formation and overtraining of a discrimination.

Overtraining Effects on Reversal and Nonreversal Discrimination Shifts with a Continuously Reinforced Free Operant

1967 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles N. Uhl ◽  
B. Kent Parker ◽  
Philip B. Wooton
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Irrelevant Stimulus ◽  
Stimulus Dimension ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Reversal Shift ◽  
Nonreversal Shift ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Free Operant ◽  
Discrimination Criterion ◽  
Free Operant Situation

Rats were trained on a single-stimulus, successive discrimination in a free operant situation with continuous reinforcement of responding to S+. Ss were given 0, 4, or 8 days of overtraining (OT) after reaching the discrimination criterion. Half of the Ss were given a reversal shift (RS) and half a nonreversal shift (NRS). An irrelevant stimulus dimension was present at all times in Exp. 1, and it was absent in Exp. 2. OT did not affect RS or NRS learning in either experiment. NRS learning was faster than RS learning. These results were contrasted with other studies which have reported that OT facilitated RS learning and impeded NRS learning. Certain theoretical interpretations of discrimination learning, particularly Sutherland's treatment of centrally mediated attentional mechanisms, were critically discussed in light of the present findings.

Effect of Exposure to a Single Stimulus on Transfer of Perceptual Learning

1972 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 559-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Bennett ◽  
Lynn Levitt ◽  
Barry S. Anton
Keyword(s):  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Early Experience ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Albino Rats ◽  
Rearing Environment

Albino rats reared in a visually sparse environment were pre-exposed to either both, one, or neither of the to-be-discriminated stimuli. Both groups which received early stimulus experience learned the discrimination task in significantly fewer trials than did the nonexposed control group, and the group which received early experience with both stimuli was superior to the group pre-exposed to only one of the to-be-discriminated stimuli. The results imply that greatest facilitation by early experience of later discrimination learning will occur if S is allowed to compare the to-be-discriminated stimuli in his rearing environment.

scholarly journals Effect of Faint Road Traffic Noise Mixed in Birdsong on the Perceived Restorativeness and Listeners’ Physiological Response: An Exploratory Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 4985
Author(s):  
Yasushi Suko ◽  
Kaoru Saito ◽  
Norimasa Takayama ◽  
Shin’ichi Warisawa ◽  
Tetsuya Sakuma
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
Skin Conductance Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Road Traffic Noise ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Psychological Indicators ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Natural Sound

Many studies have reported that natural sounds (e.g., birdsong) are more restorative than urban noise. These studies have used physiological and psychological indicators, such as the skin conductance level (SCL) and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), to evaluate the restorative effect of natural sounds. However, the effect of faint background noise mixed with birdsong on the restorativeness of birdsong has not been described yet. In the current experiment, we examined whether traffic noise affects the perceived restorativeness and the physiological restorativeness of birdsong in a low-stress condition using the SCL and the PRS. The scores of the PRS showed that birdsong significantly increased the perceived restorativeness of the place regardless of the car noise, but no significant difference was found between these two birdsongs. In contrast, physiologically, the birdsong without car noise decreased the participants’ SCL significantly more than the birdsong with car noise did. These results indicate that the SCL would be useful to detect the effect of background noise on natural sound when the noise is too low to affect the perceived restorativeness. This study highlights the importance of measuring the SCL besides assessing perceived restorativeness to describe the characteristics of restorative natural sound in future research.

Effects of Simultaneous and Successive Stimulus Presentation on Visual Discriminations by Aphasic Patients

1970 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 369-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deedra L. Engmann ◽  
Robert H. Brookshire
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Stimulus Presentation ◽  
Simultaneous Presentation ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Successive Discrimination ◽  
The Other ◽  
Successive Presentation ◽  
Gradual Improvement ◽  
Hospital Patients ◽  
Visual Discriminations

In order to determine whether aphasic and nonaphasic subjects would perform differentially in simultaneous and successive discrimination tasks, 10 aphasic and 10 nonaphasic hospital patients performed in a successive and a simultaneous discrimination task in which 2 stimuli were presented on each trial, and in a successive discrimination with a single stimulus presented on each trial. Aphasic and nonaphasic subjects learned the successive discrimination task with a single stimulus faster than the other two discriminations. When the discrimination involved two stimuli, simultaneous presentation of stimuli resulted in faster learning by aphasic subjects than did successive presentation. Learning of visual discriminations by aphasic and nonaphasic subjects appeared to occur all at once, rather than as gradual improvement over trials. The hypothesis that aphasic subjects would have difficulty with inhibition of responses to negative discriminative stimuli was not supported.

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