Re‐Examining the Effect of Top‐Down Linguistic Information on Speaker‐Voice Discrimination

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Quinto ◽  
Sandy Abu El Adas ◽  
Susannah V. Levi
Keyword(s):  
Top Down ◽  
Linguistic Information ◽  
Voice Discrimination

scholarly journals Co-existence of prediction and error signals in electrophysiological responses to natural speech

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Broderick ◽  
Edmund C. Lalor
Keyword(s):  
Predictive Coding ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Language Models ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
Speech Comprehension ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Linguistic Information ◽  
Electrophysiological Responses ◽  
Eeg Recordings

AbstractPrior knowledge facilitates perception and allows us to interpret our sensory environment. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Theories of predictive coding propose that feedback connections between cortical levels carry predictions about upcoming sensory events whereas feedforward connections carry the error between the prediction and the sensory input. Although predictive coding has gained much ground as a viable mechanism for perception, in the context spoken language comprehension it lacks empirical support using more naturalistic stimuli. In this study, we investigated theories of predictive coding using continuous, everyday speech. EEG recordings from human participants listening to an audiobook were analysed using a 2-stage regression framework. This tested the effect of top-down linguistic information, estimated using computational language models, on the bottom-up encoding of acoustic and phonetic speech features. Our results show enhanced encoding of both semantic predictions and surprising words, based on preceding context. This suggests that signals pertaining to prediction and error units can be observed in the same electrophysiological responses to natural speech. In addition, temporal analysis of these signals reveals support for theories of predictive coding that propose that perception is first biased towards what is expected followed by what is informative.Significance StatementOver the past two decades, predictive coding has grown in popularity as an explanatory mechanism for perception. However, there has been lack of empirical support for this theory in research studying natural speech comprehension. We address this issue by developing an analysis framework that tests the effects of top-down linguistic information on the auditory encoding of continuous speech. Our results provide evidence for the co-existence of prediction and error signals and support theories of predictive coding using more naturalistic stimuli.

Top-Down Processing and Visual Reorientation Illusions in a Virtual Reality Environment

2004 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred W. Mast ◽  
Charles M. Oman
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Line Length ◽  
Perceptual Cues ◽  
Virtual Reality Environment ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Test Conditions ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Processing Mechanisms

The role of top-down processing on the horizontal-vertical line length illusion was examined by means of an ambiguous room with dual visual verticals. In one of the test conditions, the subjects were cued to one of the two verticals and were instructed to cognitively reassign the apparent vertical to the cued orientation. When they have mentally adjusted their perception, two lines in a plus sign configuration appeared and the subjects had to evaluate which line was longer. The results showed that the line length appeared longer when it was aligned with the direction of the vertical currently perceived by the subject. This study provides a demonstration that top-down processing influences lower level visual processing mechanisms. In another test condition, the subjects had all perceptual cues available and the influence was even stronger.

Functional Anatomy of Intensity Aspects of Attention

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Sturm
Keyword(s):  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Functional Anatomy ◽  
Fmri Data ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Stimulus Modality ◽  
Spatial Orienting ◽  
Phasic Alertness ◽  
Co Activation ◽  
Attention System

Abstract: Behavioral and PET/fMRI-data are presented to delineate the functional networks subserving alertness, sustained attention, and vigilance as different aspects of attention intensity. The data suggest that a mostly right-hemisphere frontal, parietal, thalamic, and brainstem network plays an important role in the regulation of attention intensity, irrespective of stimulus modality. Under conditions of phasic alertness there is less right frontal activation reflecting a diminished need for top-down regulation with phasic extrinsic stimulation. Furthermore, a high overlap between the functional networks for alerting and spatial orienting of attention is demonstrated. These findings support the hypothesis of a co-activation of the posterior attention system involved in spatial orienting by the anterior alerting network. Possible implications of these findings for the therapy of neglect are proposed.

Auswirkungen eines Aufmerksamkeitstrainings auf die aphasische Symptomatik bei Schlaganfallpatienten

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Graf ◽  
Hartwig Kulke ◽  
Christa Sous-Kulke ◽  
Wilfried Schupp ◽  
Stefan Lautenbacher
Keyword(s):  
Top Down

Aufmerksamkeit kann als Kontrollsystem neuronaler Aktivität verstanden werden, welches Neuroplastizität top-down modulieren hilft. Bisher wurde selten versucht, durch deren gezielte Förderung Funktionswiederherstellungen nach Hirnschädigung zu begünstigen. In vorliegender Studie wurde dies am Beispiel der Aphasie erprobt. 15 Schlaganfallpatienten erhielten ein dreiwöchiges Training der selektiven Aufmerksamkeit mit den PC-Programmen CogniPlus und „Konzentration“ bei fünf Sitzungen pro Woche zusätzlich zur Standardtherapie, 13 weitere bildeten eine Kontrollgruppe ohne Aufmerksamkeitstraining. Zur Effektivitätskontrolle dienten zwei Versionen des Untertests Go/Nogo (Testbatterie zur Aufmerksamkeitsprüfung) und die Kurze Aphasieprüfung. Nach dem Training manifestierte sich zwischen den Untersuchungsgruppen kein Unterschied in Aufmerksamkeits- und Sprachfunktionen; das zusätzliche Aufmerksamkeitstraining war also wirkungslos. Allerdings zeigten Patienten mit deutlichen Aufmerksamkeitsverbesserungen tendenziell weniger Aphasie-Symptome, was die Hypothese aufmerksamkeitsvermittelter Plastizitätsmodulation nach Hirnschädigung partiell stützt.

Aufmerksamkeitswechsel und Konzentration: Von den Funktionen zum Mechanismus

2001 ◽  
Vol 209 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Bösel
Keyword(s):  
Top Down ◽  
Eeg Alpha

Zusammenfassung. Aufmerksamkeit wird sowohl als Selektivität in der bewußter Verarbeitung oder auch als selektive neuronale Aktivierung verstanden. Die neuronalen Strukturen, die Objektdiskrimination ermöglichen, erlauben eine Interaktion von datengetriebenen und endogenen top-down Prozessen, die zu einer selektiven Bereitstellung von Verarbeitungs-Ressourcen führen. Zielgerichtetes Verhalten erfordert manchmal einen Wechsel in der Ressourcen-Bereitstellung und eine Konzentration von mentaler Aktivität. Aufmerksamkeitswechsel kann als ein zweiphasiger Prozeß verstanden werden, der aus einer breiten Mobilisierung von Gedächtnis-Ressourcen besteht (angezeigt durch EEG-Theta), gefolgt von einer re-organisierenden Einengung neuronaler Aktivität (angezeigt durch langsames EEG-Alpha). Dieser Beitrag unterstützt die Annahme, daß die Analyse des gekoppelten Wechselspiels aus Mobilisierung und Konzentration in bestimmten Teilen der posterioren und anterioren Rindenregionen ein Schlüssel für das Verständnis von Aufmerksamkeitswechsel sein könnte.

Psychology and Culture: Top Down Versus Bottom Up?

PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Cole
Keyword(s):  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up

Event-Related Potentials Show Early Top-Down Modulation of Word Processing During Visual Search

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Dampure ◽  
Abdel Benraiss ◽  
Jean-Francois Rouet ◽  
Nicolas Vibert
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Related Potentials

Category Learning as a Top-Down Influence on Perception

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin D. Thomas ◽  
Melissa A. Lea ◽  
Mark D. Hammerly
Keyword(s):  
Category Learning ◽  
Top Down

Can Self-Schemas Serve as Top-Down Attentional Control Settings

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles L. Folk ◽  
Deborah Kendzierski ◽  
Brad Wyble
Keyword(s):  
Attentional Control ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Attentional Control Settings

The Effects of Semantic Relatedness on Top-Down Attentional Control

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andria Shimi ◽  
Gaia Scerif
Keyword(s):  
Attentional Control ◽  
Semantic Relatedness ◽  
Top Down
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document