Learning Biases Underlie “Universals” in Avian Vocal Sequencing

James, Logan S.; Sakata, Jon T.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.019

Cited by 41 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Our results suggest that INs are learned from a tutor just like birds learn their song motifs from their 203 tutor. Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of biological predispositions in zebra finch song 204 learning [30,39]. For example, juvenile zebra finches that are individually tutored with random 205 sequences of syllables converge on similar motif sequences [30].…”

Section: Biological Predispositions In In Production and Learning 202mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of biological predispositions in zebra finch song 204 learning [30,39]. For example, juvenile zebra finches that are individually tutored with random 205 sequences of syllables converge on similar motif sequences [30]. To identify biological predispositions, 206 if any, in IN production, we experimentally tutored juvenile zebra finches with songs that lacked INs 207 ( Fig.…”

Section: Biological Predispositions In In Production and Learning 202mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alternatively, as predicted 40 by the motor preparation hypothesis [22,23], variation in IN number and structure across birds could be 41 correlated with variation in their respective songs. Finally, variation in IN number and structure across 42 birds could also be a result of biological predispositions similar to the biological predispositions in the 43 production of elements of song [30]. Here, we examine these different predictions in the zebra finch, a 44 well-studied songbird [14].…”

Section: Introduction 23mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Introductory gestures before songbird vocal displays are shaped by learning and biological predispositions

Kalra

Yawatkar

James

et al. 2020

Preprint

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9Introductory gestures are present at the beginning of many animal displays. For example, lizards start 10 their head-bobbing displays with introductory push-ups and animal vocal displays begin with 11 introductory notes. Songbirds also begin their vocal displays by repeating introductory notes (INs) 12 before producing their learned song and these INs are thought to reflect motor preparation. Between 13 individuals of a given species, the acoustic structure of INs and the number of times INs are repeated 14 before song varies considerably. While similar variation in songs between individuals is known to be a 15 result of learning, whether INs are also learned remains poorly understood. Here, using natural and 16 experimental tutoring with male zebra finches, we show that mean IN number and IN acoustic structure 17 are learned from a tutor, independent of song learning. We also reveal biological predispositions in IN 18 production; birds artificially tutored with songs lacking INs still repeated a short-duration syllable, 19 thrice on average, before their songs. Overall, these results show that INs, just like elements in song, 20 are shaped both by learning and biological predispositions and suggest multiple, independent, learning 21 processes underlying the acquisition of complex vocal displays. 22

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Section: Biological Predispositions In In Production and Learning 202mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Biological Predispositions In In Production and Learning 202mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction 23mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Introductory gestures before songbird vocal displays are shaped by learning and biological predispositions

Kalra

Yawatkar

James

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Another interactive hypothesis is that the structure in music results from long‐term distributed effects of multiple, individually varying minds that together create a kind of structural compromise that is pleasing to and learnable by all . These contrasting hypotheses have an exact parallel in the human language and animal communication literatures . In the nativist scenario, if all individuals share strongly constraining biases, music would emerge as a result of strengthening few, human‐wide tendencies toward musicality (akin to a vote by consensus).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…17,18 These contrasting hypotheses have an exact parallel in the human language and animal communication literatures. [30][31][32][33] In the nativist scenario, if all individuals share strongly constraining biases, music would emerge as a result of strengthening few, human-wide tendencies toward musicality (akin to a vote by consensus). In the alternative interactive scenario, if all individuals have weak and potentially variable biases, music would emerge as a result of the interplay among individual-specific tendencies toward musicality, amplifying or averaging each other out (similarly to mixing paint of different colors).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolving building blocks of rhythm: how human cognition creates music via cultural transmission

Ravignani

Thompson

Grossi

et al. 2018

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

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Why does musical rhythm have the structure it does? Musical rhythm, in all its cross-cultural diversity, exhibits commonalities across world cultures. Traditionally, music research has been split into two fields. Some scientists focused on musicality, namely the human biocognitive predispositions for music, with an emphasis on cross-cultural similarities. Other scholars investigated music, seen as a cultural product, focusing on the variation in world musical cultures. Recent experiments found deep connections between music and musicality, reconciling these opposing views. Here, we address the question of how individual cognitive biases affect the process of cultural evolution of music. Data from two experiments are analyzed using two complementary techniques. In the experiments, participants hear drumming patterns and imitate them. These patterns are then given to the same or another participant to imitate. The structure of these initially random patterns is tracked along experimental "generations." Frequentist statistics show how participants' biases are amplified by cultural transmission, making drumming patterns more structured. Structure is achieved faster in transmission within rather than between participants. A Bayesian model approximates the motif structures participants learned and created. Our data and models suggest that individual biases for musicality may shape the cultural transmission of musical rhythm.

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Manipulations of sensory experiences during development reveal mechanisms underlying vocal learning biases in zebra finches

James

Davies

Mori

et al. 2020

Developmental Neurobiology

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Biological predispositions in learning can bias and constrain the cultural evolution of social and 33 communicative behaviors (e.g., speech and birdsong), and lead to the emergence of behavioral and 34 cultural "universals". For example, surveys of laboratory and wild populations of zebra finches 35 (Taeniopygia guttata) document consistent patterning of vocal elements ("syllables") with respect to 36 their acoustic properties (e.g., duration, mean frequency). Furthermore, such universal patterns are 37 also produced by birds that are experimentally tutored with songs containing randomly sequenced 38 syllables ("tutored birds"). Despite extensive demonstrations of learning biases, much remains to be 39 uncovered about the nature of biological predispositions that bias song learning and production in 40 songbirds. Here we examined the degree to which "innate" auditory templates and/or biases in vocal 41 motor production contribute to vocal learning biases and production in zebra finches. Such 42 contributions can be revealed by examining acoustic patterns in the songs of birds raised without 43 sensory exposure to song ("untutored birds") or of birds that are unable to hear from early in 44 development ("early-deafened birds"). We observed that untutored zebra finches and early-deafened 45 zebra finches produce songs with positional variation in some acoustic features (e.g., mean frequency) 46 that resemble universal patterns observed in tutored birds. Similar to tutored birds, early-deafened 47 birds also produced song motifs with alternation in acoustic features across adjacent syllables. That 48 universal acoustic patterns are observed in the songs of both untutored and early-deafened birds 49 highlights the contribution motor production biases to the emergence of universals in culturally 50 transmitted behaviors.

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Learning Biases Underlie “Universals” in Avian Vocal Sequencing

Cited by 41 publications

References 51 publications

Introductory gestures before songbird vocal displays are shaped by learning and biological predispositions

Introductory gestures before songbird vocal displays are shaped by learning and biological predispositions

Evolving building blocks of rhythm: how human cognition creates music via cultural transmission

Manipulations of sensory experiences during development reveal mechanisms underlying vocal learning biases in zebra finches

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