Music and language in the crib: Early cross‐domain effects of experience on categorical perception of prominence in spoken language

• Published in: Developmental science 2023-09, Vol.26 (5), p.e13383-n/a
• Main Authors: Langus, Alan, Boll‐Avetisyan, Natalie, Ommen, Sandrien, Nazzi, Thierry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Babies; categorical perception; Cognitive science; cross‐domain transfer; Early Experience; Eye Movements; Foreign Countries; Frequency; Infants; infant‐directed speech; Language; Language Rhythm; lexical stress; Linguistics; Music; musical experience; pupillometry; Speech Communication; Speech perception; Suprasegmentals; Variation
• ISSN: 1363-755X; 1467-7687
• DOI: 10.1111/desc.13383

Rhythm perception helps young infants find structure in both speech and music. However, it remains unknown whether categorical perception of suprasegmental linguistic rhythm signaled by a co‐variation of multiple acoustic cues can be modulated by prior between‐ (music) and within‐domain (language) experience. Here we tested 6‐month‐old German‐learning infants’ ability to have a categorical perception of lexical stress, a linguistic prominence signaled through the co‐variation of pitch, intensity, and duration. By measuring infants’ pupil size, we find that infants as a group fail to perceive co‐variation of these acoustic cues as categorical. However, at an individual level, infants with above‐average exposure to music and language at home succeeded. Our results suggest that early exposure to music and infant‐directed language can boost the categorical perception of prominence. Research Highlights 6‐month‐old German‐learning infants’ ability to perceive lexical stress prominence categorically depends on exposure to music and language at home. Infants with high exposure to music show categorical perception. Infants with high exposure to infant‐directed language show categorical perception. Co‐influence of high exposure to music and infant‐directed language may be especially beneficial for categorical perception. Early exposure to predictable rhythms boosts categorical perception of prominence. We investigate whether rhythm in speech and music is perceived through shared perceptual mechanisms. We show that 6‐month‐old German‐learning infants can fail to perceive lexical stress signaled through the co‐variation of pitch, intensity, and duration as categorical. However, they succeed if they above‐average exposure to music and infant‐directed speech at home. Our results suggest that early exposure to music and language can boost infants' ability to perceive the co‐variation of acoustic cues as categorical.