ERIC Number: EJ859206
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Nov
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0010-0277
EISSN: N/A
Learning in Reverse: Eight-Month-Old Infants Track Backward Transitional Probabilities
Pelucchi, Bruna; Hay, Jessica F.; Saffran, Jenny R.
Cognition, v113 n2 p244-247 Nov 2009
Numerous recent studies suggest that human learners, including both infants and adults, readily track sequential statistics computed between adjacent elements. One such statistic, transitional probability, is typically calculated as the likelihood that one element predicts another. However, little is known about whether listeners are sensitive to the directionality of this computation. To address this issue, we tested 8-month-old infants in a word segmentation task, using fluent speech drawn from an unfamiliar natural language. Critically, test items were distinguished solely by their backward transitional probabilities. The results provide the first evidence that infants track backward statistics in fluent speech. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Infants, Test Items, Prediction, Probability, Natural Language Processing, Language Fluency, Word Recognition
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A