Evidential Strength of Intonational Cues and Rational Adaptation to (Un-)Reliable Intonation.

Evidential Strength of Intonational Cues and Rational Adaptation to (Un-)Reliable Intonation.
Cogn Sci. 2019 Jul;43(7):e12745
Authors: Roettger TB, Franke M
Abstract
Intonation plays an integral role in comprehending spoken language. Listeners can rapidly integrate intonational information to predictively map a given pitch accent onto the speaker's likely referential intentions. We use mouse tracking to investigate two questions: (a) how listeners draw predictive inferences based on information from intonation? and (b) how listeners adapt their online interpretation of intonational cues when these are reliable or unreliable? We formulate a novel Bayesian model of rational predictive cue integration and explore predictions derived under a concrete linking hypothesis relating a quantitative notion of evidential strength of a cue to the moment in time, relative to the unfolding speech signal, at which mouse trajectories turn towards the eventually selected option. In order to capture rational belief updates after concrete observations of a speaker's behavior, we formulate and explore an extension of this model that includes the listener's hierarchical beliefs about the speaker's likely production behavior. Our results are compatible with the assumption that listeners rapidly and rationally integrate all available intonational information, that they expect reliable intonational information initially, and that they adapt these initial exp...

Source: Cognitive Science - June 30, 2019 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Roettger TB, Franke M Tags: Cogn Sci Source Type: research