The perception of multiethnolectal Zurich German: A continuum rather than clear-cut categories

Since about 2000, the emergence of so-called ‘multiethnolects’ has been observed among adolescents in German-speaking Switzerland; however, a systematic description of these varieties is lacking at present. The few existing perception studies of multiethnolects in other European countries are usually based on two or more predetermined groups that are compared. This paper investigates which labels are used for multiethnolectal Zurich German and how this way of speaking is perceived by adolescents; we adopt a perceptual sociolinguistics approach which focuses on the conceptualizations of lay people rather than on those of linguists. In a rating experiment, 40 adolescents listened to short speech samples of 48 pupils recorded in two different schools in the city of Zurich and were asked to rate the speakers on a 7-point Likert scale according to how multiethnolectal they sounded (not at all – very strongly). The results yielded a perceptual continuum rather than a clear-cut binary categorization [±multiethnolectal]. A smaller follow-up experiment with 12 adult raters (using the same stimuli) yielded a highly significant correlation between the mean rating scores of the two groups of raters.

Fixation-pattern similarity analysis reveals adaptive changes in face-viewing strategies following aversive learning

Animals can effortlessly adapt their behavior by generalizing from past aversive experiences, allowing to avoid harm in novel situations. We studied how visual information was sampled by eye-movements during this process called fear generalization, using faces organized along a circular two-dimensional perceptual continuum. During learning, one face was conditioned to predict a harmful event, whereas the most dissimilar face stayed neutral. This introduced an adversity gradient along one specific dimension, while the other, unspecific dimension was defined solely by perceptual similarity. Aversive learning changed scanning patterns selectively along the adversity-related dimension, but not the orthogonal dimension. This effect was mainly located within the eye region of faces. Our results provide evidence for adaptive changes in viewing strategies of faces following aversive learning. This is compatible with the view that these changes serve to sample information in a way that allows discriminating between safe and adverse for a better threat prediction.

Fear Generalization as Threat Prediction: Adaptive Changes in Facial Exploration Strategies revealed by Fixation-Pattern Similarity Analysis

Animals can effortlessly adapt their behavior by generalizing from past experiences, and avoid harm in novel aversive situations. In our current understanding, the perceptual similarity between learning and generalization samples is viewed as one major factor driving aversive generalization. Alternatively, the threat-prediction account proposes that perceptual similarity should lead to generalization to the extent it predicts harmful outcomes. We tested these views using a two-dimensional perceptual continuum of faces. During learning, one face is conditioned to predict a harmful event, whereas the most dissimilar face stays neutral; introducing an adversity gradient defined only along one dimension. Learning changed the way how humans sampled information during viewing of faces. These occurred specifically along the adversity gradient leading to an increased dissimilarity of eye-movement patterns along the threat-related dimension. This provides evidence for the threat-prediction account of generalization, which conceives perceptual factors to be relevant to the extent they predict harmful outcomes.

Input-driven behavior: One extreme of the multisensory perceptual continuum

The propositions that the senses are separate and that the global array may be sufficient for adequate perception are questioned. There is evidence that certain tasks may be primarily “input-driven,” but these are a special case along the behavioral continuum. Many tasks involve sensory information that is ambiguous, and other sources of information may be required for adequate perception.