@phdthesis{Hodapp2024, author = {Hodapp, Alice}, title = {Error-based learning in predictive language processing at the level of meaning}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-65717}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-657179}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {X, 68}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Prediction is often regarded as a central and domain-general aspect of cognition. This proposal extends to language, where predictive processing might enable the comprehension of rapidly unfolding input by anticipating upcoming words or their semantic features. To make these predictions, the brain needs to form a representation of the predictive patterns in the environment. Predictive processing theories suggest a continuous learning process that is driven by prediction errors, but much is still to be learned about this mechanism in language comprehension. This thesis therefore combined three electroencephalography (EEG) experiments to explore the relationship between prediction and implicit learning at the level of meaning. Results from Study 1 support the assumption that the brain constantly infers und updates probabilistic representations of the semantic context, potentially across multiple levels of complexity. N400 and P600 brain potentials could be predicted by semantic surprise based on a probabilistic estimate of previous exposure and a more complex probability representation, respectively. Subsequent work investigated the influence of prediction errors on the update of semantic predictions during sentence comprehension. In line with error-based learning, unexpected sentence continuations in Study 2 ¬- characterized by large N400 amplitudes ¬- were associated with increased implicit memory compared to expected continuations. Further, Study 3 indicates that prediction errors not only strengthen the representation of the unexpected word, but also update specific predictions made from the respective sentence context. The study additionally provides initial evidence that the amount of unpredicted information as reflected in N400 amplitudes drives this update of predictions, irrespective of the strength of the original incorrect prediction. Together, these results support a central assumption of predictive processing theories: A probabilistic predictive representation at the level of meaning that is updated by prediction errors. They further propose the N400 ERP component as a possible learning signal. The results also emphasize the need for further research regarding the role of the late positive ERP components in error-based learning. The continuous error-based adaptation described in this thesis allows the brain to improve its predictive representation with the aim to make better predictions in the future.}, language = {en} } @article{KoteraAsanoKoteraetal.2022, author = {Kotera, Yasuhiro and Asano, Kenichi and Kotera, Hiromasa and Ohshima, Remi and Rushforth, Annabel}, title = {Mental health of Japanese workers: amotivation mediates self-compassion on mental health problems}, series = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health = IJERPH}, volume = {19}, journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health = IJERPH}, number = {17}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1660-4601}, doi = {10.3390/ijerph191710497}, pages = {11}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Workplace mental health is a cause for concern in many countries. Globally, 78\% of the workforce experienced impairment of their mental health in 2020. In Japan, more than half of employees are mentally distressed. Previously, research has identified that self-compassion (i.e., being kind and understanding towards oneself) and work motivation were important to their mental health. However, how these three components relate to each other remains to be elucidated. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the relationship between mental health problems, self-compassion and work motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation). A cross-sectional design was employed, where 165 Japanese workers completed self-report scales regarding those three components. A correlation and path analyses were conducted. Mental health problems were positively associated with amotivation and negatively associated with age and self-compassion. While intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation did not mediate the impact of self-compassion on mental health problems, amotivation did. The findings can help managers and organizational psychologists help identify effective approaches to improving work mental health.}, language = {en} } @book{BacskaiAtkari2024, author = {Bacskai-Atkari, Julia}, title = {The syntax of functional left peripheries}, series = {Open Germanic Linguistics}, volume = {5}, journal = {Open Germanic Linguistics}, publisher = {Language Science Press}, address = {Berlin}, isbn = {978-3-96110-421-5}, issn = {2750-5588}, doi = {10.5281/zenodo.8205597}, pages = {viii, 342}, year = {2024}, abstract = {This book provides a novel analysis for the syntax of the clausal left periphery, focusing on various finite clause types and especially on embedded clauses. It investigates how the appearance of multiple projections interacts with economy principles and with the need for marking syntactic information overtly. In particular, the proposed account shows that a flexible approach assuming only a minimal number of projections is altogether favourable to cartographic approaches. The main focus of the book is on West Germanic, in particular on English and German, yet other Germanic and non-Germanic languages are also discussed for comparative purposes.}, language = {en} } @article{VanonciniHoehlElsneretal.2023, author = {Vanoncini, Monica and H{\"o}hl, Stefanie and Elsner, Birgit and Wallot, Sebastian and Boll-Avetisyan, Natalie and Kayhan, Ezgi}, title = {Mother-infant social gaze dynamics relate to infant brain activity and word segmentation}, series = {Developmental cognitive neuroscience : a journal for cognitive, affective and social developmental neuroscience}, volume = {65}, journal = {Developmental cognitive neuroscience : a journal for cognitive, affective and social developmental neuroscience}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {1878-9293}, doi = {10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101331}, pages = {8}, year = {2023}, abstract = {The 'social brain', consisting of areas sensitive to social information, supposedly gates the mechanisms involved in human language learning. Early preverbal interactions are guided by ostensive signals, such as gaze patterns, which are coordinated across body, brain, and environment. However, little is known about how the infant brain processes social gaze in naturalistic interactions and how this relates to infant language development. During free-play of 9-month-olds with their mothers, we recorded hemodynamic cortical activity of ´social brain` areas (prefrontal cortex, temporo-parietal junctions) via fNIRS, and micro-coded mother's and infant's social gaze. Infants' speech processing was assessed with a word segmentation task. Using joint recurrence quantification analysis, we examined the connection between infants' ´social brain` activity and the temporal dynamics of social gaze at intrapersonal (i.e., infant's coordination, maternal coordination) and interpersonal (i.e., dyadic coupling) levels. Regression modeling revealed that intrapersonal dynamics in maternal social gaze (but not infant's coordination or dyadic coupling) coordinated significantly with infant's cortical activity. Moreover, recurrence quantification analysis revealed that intrapersonal maternal social gaze dynamics (in terms of entropy) were the best predictor of infants' word segmentation. The findings support the importance of social interaction in language development, particularly highlighting maternal social gaze dynamics.}, language = {en} } @article{VanonciniBollAvetisyanElsneretal.2022, author = {Vanoncini, Monica and Boll-Avetisyan, Natalie and Elsner, Birgit and H{\"o}hl, Stefanie and Kayhan, Ezgi}, title = {The role of mother-infant emotional synchrony in speech processing in 9-month-old infants}, series = {Infant behavior and development : an international \& interdisciplinary journal}, volume = {69}, journal = {Infant behavior and development : an international \& interdisciplinary journal}, publisher = {Elsevier Science}, address = {Amsterdam [u.a.]}, issn = {0163-6383}, doi = {10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101772}, pages = {13}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Rhythmicity characterizes both interpersonal synchrony and spoken language. Emotions and language are forms of interpersonal communication, which interact with each other throughout development. We investigated whether and how emotional synchrony between mothers and their 9-month-old infants relates to infants' word segmentation as an early marker of language development. Twenty-six 9-month-old infants and their German-speaking mothers took part in the study. To measure emotional synchrony, we coded positive, neutral and negative emotional expressions of the mothers and their infants during a free play session. We then calculated the degree to which the mothers' and their infants' matching emotional expressions followed a predictable pattern. To measure word segmentation, we familiarized infants with auditory text passages and tested how long they looked at the screen while listening to familiar versus novel words. We found that higher levels of predictability (i.e. low entropy) during mother-infant interaction is associated with infants' word segmentation performance. These findings suggest that individual differences in word segmentation relate to the complexity and predictability of emotional expressions during mother-infant interactions.}, language = {en} } @article{AbakarovaFuchsNoiray2022, author = {Abakarova, Dzhuma and Fuchs, Susanne and Noiray, Aude}, title = {Developmental changes in coarticulation degree relate to differences in articulatory patterns: an empirically grounded modeling approach}, series = {Journal of speech, language, and hearing research}, volume = {65}, journal = {Journal of speech, language, and hearing research}, number = {9}, publisher = {American Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc.}, address = {Rockville, Md.}, issn = {1092-4388}, doi = {10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00212}, pages = {3276 -- 3299}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Purpose: Coarticulatory effects in speech vary across development, but the sources of this variation remain unclear. This study investigated whether developmental differences in intrasyllabic coarticulation degree could be explained by differences in children's articulatory patterns compared to adults. Method: To address this question, we first compared the tongue configurations of 3-to 7-year-old German children to those of adults. The observed developmental differences were then examined through simulations with Task Dynamics Application, a Task Dynamics simulation system, to establish which articulatory modifications could best reproduce the empirical results. To generate syllables simulating the lack of tongue gesture differentiation, we tested three simulation scenarios. Results: We found that younger speakers use less differentiated articulatory patterns to achieve alveolar constrictions than adults. The simulations corresponding to undifferentiated control of tongue tip and tongue body resulted in (a) tongue shapes similar to those observed in natural speech and (b) higher degrees of intrasyllabic coarticulation in children when compared to adults. Conclusions: Results provide evidence that differences in articulatory patterns contribute to developmental differences in coarticulation degree. This study further shows that empirically informed modeling can advance our understanding of changes in coarticulatory patterns across age.}, language = {en} } @article{GaspariniLangusTsujietal.2021, author = {Gasparini, Loretta and Langus, Alan and Tsuji, Sho and Boll-Avetisyan, Natalie}, title = {Quantifying the role of rhythm in infants' language discrimination abilities}, series = {Cognition : international journal of cognitive science}, volume = {213}, journal = {Cognition : international journal of cognitive science}, publisher = {Elsevier Science}, address = {Amsterdam [u.a.]}, issn = {0010-0277}, doi = {10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104757}, pages = {31}, year = {2021}, abstract = {More than 30 years have passed since Mehler et al. (1988) proposed that newborns can discriminate between languages that belong to different rhythm classes: stress-, syllable- or mora-timed. Thereupon they developed the hypothesis that infants are sensitive to differences in vowel and consonant interval durations as acoustic correlates of rhythm classes. It remains unknown exactly which durational computations infants use when perceiving speech for the purposes of distinguishing languages. Here, a meta-analysis of studies on infants' language discrimination skills over the first year of life was conducted, aiming to quantify how language discrimination skills change with age and are modulated by rhythm classes or durational metrics. A systematic literature search identified 42 studies that tested infants' (birth to 12 months) discrimination or preference of two language varieties, by presenting infants with auditory or audio-visual continuous speech. Quantitative data synthesis was conducted using multivariate random effects meta-analytic models with the factors rhythm class difference, age, stimulus manipulation, method, and metrics operationalising proportions of and variability in vowel and consonant interval durations, to explore which factors best account for language discrimination or preference. Results revealed that smaller differences in vowel interval variability (oV) and larger differences in successive consonantal interval variability (rPVI-C) were associated with more successful language discrimination, and better accounted for discrimination results than the factor rhythm class. There were no effects of age for discrimination but results on preference studies were affected by age: the older infants get, the more they prefer non-native languages that are rhythmically similar to their native language, but not non-native languages that are rhythmically distinct. These findings can inform theories on language discrimination that have previously focussed on rhythm class, by providing a novel way to operationalise rhythm in language in the extent to which it accounts for infants' language discrimination abilities.}, language = {en} } @article{YadavHusainFutrell2022, author = {Yadav, Himanshu and Husain, Samar and Futrell, Richard}, title = {Assessing corpus evidence for formal and psycholinguistic constraints on nonprojectivity}, series = {Computational linguistics}, volume = {48}, journal = {Computational linguistics}, number = {2}, publisher = {MIT Press}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {0891-2017}, doi = {10.1162/coli_a_00437}, pages = {375 -- 401}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Formal constraints on crossing dependencies have played a large role in research on the formal complexity of natural language grammars and parsing. Here we ask whether the apparent evidence for constraints on crossing dependencies in treebanks might arise because of independent constraints on trees, such as low arity and dependency length minimization. We address this question using two sets of experiments. In Experiment 1, we compare the distribution of formal properties of crossing dependencies, such as gap degree, between real trees and baseline trees matched for rate of crossing dependencies and various other properties. In Experiment 2, we model whether two dependencies cross, given certain psycholinguistic properties of the dependencies. We find surprisingly weak evidence for constraints originating from the mild context-sensitivity literature (gap degree and well-nestedness) beyond what can be explained by constraints on rate of crossing dependencies, topological properties of the trees, and dependency length. However, measures that have emerged from the parsing literature (e.g., edge degree, end-point crossings, and heads' depth difference) differ strongly between real and random trees. Modeling results show that cognitive metrics relating to information locality and working-memory limitations affect whether two dependencies cross or not, but they do not fully explain the distribution of crossing dependencies in natural languages. Together these results suggest that crossing constraints are better characterized by processing pressures than by mildly context-sensitive constraints.}, language = {en} } @article{MalyshevskayaGalloEfremovetal.2022, author = {Malyshevskaya, Anastasia S. and Gallo, Federico and Efremov, Aleksei A. and Myachykov, Andriy V. and Shtyrov, Yury Y.}, title = {Роль билингвизма в формировании нейрокогнитивного резерва}, series = {Žurnal vysšej nervnoj dejatel'nosti imeni J. P. Pavlova}, volume = {72}, journal = {Žurnal vysšej nervnoj dejatel'nosti imeni J. P. Pavlova}, number = {5}, publisher = {Nauka}, address = {Moskva}, issn = {0044-4677}, doi = {10.31857/S0044467722050094}, pages = {591 -- 608}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Развитие науки, общества и медицины ведет за собой неуклонный рост средней продолжительности жизни. В результате наука сталкивается с новыми задачами, в число которых входит предотвращение деменции и поддержание эффективной работоспособности мозга при старении человека. Одним из защитных факторов, предотвращающих ослабление когнитивных функций и поддерживающих нейропластичность мозга, является билингвизм. Однако дебаты насчет нейропротекторных свойств двуязычия до сих пор являются актуальными. В данной статье рассмотрен феномен нейрокогнитивного резерва (НКР) и определена взаимосвязь между билингвизмом и такими составляющими НКР, как мозговой резерв, нейрональный резерв и нейрональная компенсация. Кроме этого, в статье приведен обзор исследований, посвященных изучению нейронных и когнитивных механизмов влияния билингвизма на здоровое функционирование мозга при старении. В заключении мы вкратце остановились на том, каким образом двуязычие может защищать мозг от старения благодаря взаимодействию между мозговыми и когнитивными составляющими НКР.}, language = {ru} } @article{KoukouliotiStavrakakiVomvaetal.2022, author = {Koukoulioti, Vasiliki and Stavrakaki, Stavroula and Vomva, Maria and Adani, Flavia}, title = {Gender marking and clitic pronoun resolution in simultaneous bilingual children}, series = {Languages : open access journal}, volume = {7}, journal = {Languages : open access journal}, number = {4}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {2226-471X}, doi = {10.3390/languages7040250}, pages = {49}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The acquisition of clitics still remains a highly controversial issue in Greek acquisition literature despite the bulk of studies performed. Object clitics have been shown to be early acquired by monolingual children in terms of production rates, whereas only highly proficient bilingual children achieve target-like performance. Crucially, errors in gender marking are persistent for monolingual and bilingual children even when adult-like production rates are achieved. This study aims to readdress the acquisition of clitics in an innovative way, by entering the variable of gender in an experimental design targeting to assess production and processing by bilingual and monolingual children. Moreover, we examined the role of language proficiency (in terms of general verbal intelligence and syntactic production abilities). The groups had comparable performance in both tasks (in terms of correct responses and error distribution in production and reaction times in comprehension). However, verbal intelligence had an effect on the performance of the monolingual but not of the bilingual group in the production task, and bilingual children were overall slower in the comprehension task. Syntactic production abilities did not have any effect. We argue that gender marking affects clitic processing, and we discuss the implications of our findings for bilingual acquisition.}, language = {en} }