Our next LuCiD seminar is on Tuesday 1st November 2022 (5pm UK time - Zoom). Dr Mathilde Fort (Université Grenoble Alpes) will talk about Exploring the role of visual attention control in early language acquisition.
Abstract: Following the seminal work of Saffran, Aslin and Newport (1996), a wide range of studies have revealed the power of the infant brain to extract regularities from the speech signal through statistical learning, the implicit learning of regularities present in the speech input. However, this approach does not provide a fully satisfactory account of how infants learn language. In ecological settings, the speech input is so multidimensional that infants need to pinpoint, by attentional and working memory mechanisms, the appropriate subset of relevant dimensions before performing any statistical computations. My research focus on how the maturation of attentional control constrains infants’ and children's language learning. I will present a series of studies using experimental and bayesian modelling approaches to study the role of visual attention to talking faces in different situations (word learning, bilingualism). I will conclude by discussing the role of attention to talking faces across age and situations (in-lab simplified setting vs. ecological complex situations).
How to join the seminar: This seminar will take place via Zoom. This seminar is free to attend & booking isn't required, just get in touch to request the zoom link and/or location and don't forget to join the seminar mailing list.