Learning and memory of recurring sound patterns play a crucial role for efficient perception of acoustic signals that dynamically unfold in time. Human listeners are remarkably sensitive to patterns, i.e., short sound segments that repeat within continuous auditory input, and can form robust memory representations for distinct patterns through repeated exposure. While there is compelling evidence for an exceptional perceptual learning capacity even for novel and meaningless acoustic patterns, less is known about whether and how the acquisition of memory representations at multiple time scales is modulated by the listening context.
The present thesis comprises one behavioural and two EEG studies, which aimed to explore pattern repetition detection in continuous sounds as well as implicit memory formation for specific patterns that recur over a longer time scale (unbeknownst to the participants) under different listening conditions. More specifically, three aspects of the listening context were experimentally manipulated: presentation format of the repeating pattern (Study 1), listeners’ attentional focus, and temporal regularity of pattern repetition within a longer continuous sound sequence (Study 2 & 3).
Combined results suggest that learning of acoustic patterns through repetition builds on a flexible mechanism that is robust against varying contextual demands, such as they often occur during naturalistic listening. Despite reliable pattern repetition detection and longer-term memory formation across all listening contexts, certain contextual features enhanced short-term perceptual representations, which in turn improved longer term memory formation. Together, these findings advance the understanding of (shorter- and longer-term) memory acquisition for novel acoustic patterns and suggest that auditory perceptual learning can be facilitated through targeted design of listening contexts.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:89833 |
| Date | 15 February 2024 |
| Creators | Ringer, Hanna |
| Contributors | Universität Leipzig |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:doctoralThesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 978-3-948679-10-1 |
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