The interplay of within-species perceptual predispositions and experience during song ontogeny in zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata )

Vocal acquisition in songbirds and humans shows many similarities, one of which is that both involve a combination of experience and perceptual predispositions. Among languages some speech sounds are shared, while others are not. This could reflect a predisposition in young infants for learning some speech sounds over others, which combines with exposure-based learning. Similarly, in songbirds, some sounds are common across populations, while others are more specific to populations or individuals. We examine whether this is also due to perceptual preferences for certain within-species element types in naive juvenile male birds, and how such preferences interact with exposure to guide subsequent song learning. We show that young zebra finches lacking previous song exposure perceptually prefer songs with more common zebra finch song element types over songs with less common elements. Next, we demonstrate that after subsequent tutoring, birds prefer tutor songs regardless of whether these contain more common or less common elements. In adulthood, birds tutored with more common elements showed a higher song similarity to their tutor song, indicating that the early bias influenced song learning. Our findings help to understand the maintenance of similarities and the presence of differences among birds' songs, their dialects and human languages.

‘Selfies’ Reveal Systematic Deviations from Known Principles of Photographic Composition

We used ‘selfies’, self-portraits taken with a hand-held smartphone camera, to test three known principles of photographic composition: The rule of thirds, the golden ratio rule, and the eye centering principle. Although they are often taught and discussed, the origin of these principles remains unclear. It is possible that they stem from constraints on human perceptual processes. Alternatively, these principles might serve more practical purposes, such as forcing photographers to explore all quadrants of the image. Selfies provide an ideal test bed for these questions due to the control they give self-photographers when they compose the photograph. We used a database of images created by non-professional photographers (). After analysis, we conclude that there little support for any of the three principles, suggesting that none is strongly rooted in spontaneous perceptual preferences.

Effects Of Matching And Mismatching Corporate Employees Perceptual Preferences And Instructional Strategies On Training Achievement And Attitudes

This study analyzed the: (a) effects of matching and mismatching instructional strategies on the training-achievement test scores of employee classified according to their learning style perceptual preferencesauditory, visual, tactual, kinesthetic, or non-preferenced and (b) results each strategy produced on attitudes toward each of the two instructional strategiesauditory/visual and tactual/kinesthetic/visual. The perceptual preferences of 314 Route Sales Representatives were identified. Advanced driving-safety training materials were translated into two lessonsone auditory strategy with visuals, and one tactual/kinesthetic strategy with visualswhich the subjects received during a one-month period. A semantic differential scale assessed attitudes toward each of the two strategies. Four 3 x 2 ANOVAS for the identified, and then matched and mismatched, perceptual preferences were employed. Dependent variables of achievement and attitude toward instruction were assessed for each of the two training sessions. Significant differences emerged when subjects were matched and mismatched with instructional strategies congruent and incongruent with their diagnosed perceptual preferences. Achievement scores were significantly higher (p>.0001) for both sessions, as were attitudes (p>.0001) for Session 2, in complementary instructional treatments.