Skip to search boxSkip to navigationSkip to main content

Lexical learning shapes the development of speech perception until late adolescence

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

The role of neurobiologically-constrained critical periods for language learning remains controversial. We provide new evidence for critical periods by examining speech sound processing across the lifespan. We tested perceptual acuity for minimal word-word (e.g. bear-pear), and word-pseudoword (e.g. bag-pag) pairs generated using trial-unique audio morphed speech tokens. Participants (N=1537) performed a 3-interval, 2-alternative forced choice perceptual task indicating which of two cartoon characters said a referent word correctly. We adaptively reduced the contrastive acoustic cues in speech tokens to measure the Proportion of Acoustic Difference Required for Identification (PADRI) at 79.4% correct. Results showed effects of age, lexical context, and language experience on perceptual acuity. However, for native-listeners responding to word-word trials, age-related improvements stopped at 16.7 years. This finding suggests a role for continued lexical experience in shaping perceptual acuity for spoken words until late adolescence consistent with interactive models of speech perception and critical periods

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

PsyArXiv

Publication milestones

  • Published - 29/01/2019

Publication status

Published - 29/01/2019

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/625852

Access to documents

Publication metrics

Metrics

Download statistics
Download count
1