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Motor constellation theory: A model of infants’ phonological development
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Intelligent systems, Speech, Music and Hearing, TMH.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6739-0838
2022 (English)In: Frontiers in Psychology, E-ISSN 1664-1078, Vol. 13, article id 996894Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Every normally developing human infant solves the difficult problem of mapping their native-language phonology, but the neural mechanisms underpinning this behavior remain poorly understood. Here, motor constellation theory, an integrative neurophonological model, is presented, with the goal of explicating this issue. It is assumed that infants' motor-auditory phonological mapping takes place through infants' orosensory "reaching" for phonological elements observed in the language-specific ambient phonology, via reference to kinesthetic feedback from motor systems (e.g., articulators), and auditory feedback from resulting speech and speech-like sounds. Attempts are regulated by basal ganglion-cerebellar speech neural circuitry, and successful attempts at reproduction are enforced through dopaminergic signaling. Early in life, the pace of anatomical development constrains mapping such that complete language-specific phonological mapping is prohibited by infants' undeveloped supralaryngeal vocal tract and undescended larynx; constraints gradually dissolve with age, enabling adult phonology. Where appropriate, reference is made to findings from animal and clinical models. Some implications for future modeling and simulation efforts, as well as clinical settings, are also discussed.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Frontiers Media SA , 2022. Vol. 13, article id 996894
Keywords [en]
phonological development, biology of speech, child development, reinforcement learning, neurolinguistics, speech acquisition
National Category
General Language Studies and Linguistics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-323657DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.996894ISI: 000886254800001PubMedID: 36405212Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85142138368OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-323657DiVA, id: diva2:1735118
Note

QC 20230208

Available from: 2023-02-07 Created: 2023-02-07 Last updated: 2023-02-09Bibliographically approved

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Ekström, Axel G.

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