Acoustic Analyses of Developmental Changes and Emotional Expression in the Preverbal Vocalizations of Infants

Scheiner, Elisabeth; Hammerschmidt, Kurt; Jürgens, Uwe; Zwirner, Petra

doi:10.1016/s0892-1997(02)00127-3

Cited by 101 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…One explanation for these findings could be that noisy calls are easier for young individuals to produce than are tonal calls, since they require relatively little control over the vocal apparatus (e.g., Lieberman 1986). It has been suggested that in humans, an age-related increase in tonality of infant calls is likely to be brought about by an improvement of the subglottal air pressure control as individuals grow (Boliek et al 1996;Scheiner et al 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivation before Meaning: Motivational Information Encoded in Meerkat Alarm Calls Develops Earlier than Referential Information

Hollén

Manser

2007

The American Naturalist

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Motivation before meaning: motivational information encoded in meerkat alarm calls develops earlier than referential information Hollén, L I; Manser, M B Hollén, L I; Manser, M B. Motivation before meaning: motivational information encoded in meerkat alarm calls develops earlier than referential information. Am. Nat. 2007, 169(6) Motivation before meaning: motivational information encoded in meerkat alarm calls develops earlier than referential information AbstractIn contrast to historical assumptions about the affective nature of animal vocalizations, it is now clear that many vertebrates are capable of producing specific alarm calls in response to different predators, calls that provide information that goes beyond the motivational state of a caller. However, although these calls function referentially, it does not mean that they are devoid of motivational content. Studies on meerkats (Suricata suricatta) directly support this conclusion. The acoustic structure of their alarm calls simultaneously encodes information that is both motivational (level of urgency) and referential (predator specific). In this study, we investigated whether alarm calls of young meerkats undergo developmental modification and whether the motivational or the referential aspect of calls changes more over time. We found that, based on their acoustic structure, calls of young showed a high correct assignment to low-and high-urgency contexts but, in contrast to adults, low assignment to specific predator types. However, the discrimination among predator types was better in high-urgency than in low-urgency contexts. Our results suggest that acoustic features related to level of urgency are expressed earlier than those related to predator-specific information and may support the idea that referential calls evolve from motivational signals. Online enhancements: appendix tables.abstract: In contrast to historical assumptions about the affective nature of animal vocalizations, it is now clear that many vertebrates are capable of producing specific alarm calls in response to different predators, calls that provide information that goes beyond the motivational state of a caller. However, although these calls function referentially, it does not mean that they are devoid of motivational content. Studies on meerkats (Suricata suricatta) directly support this conclusion. The acoustic structure of their alarm calls simultaneously encodes information that is both motivational (level of urgency) and referential (predator specific). In this study, we investigated whether alarm calls of young meerkats undergo developmental modification and whether the motivational or the referential aspect of calls changes more over time. We found that, based on their acoustic structure, calls of young showed a high correct assignment to low-and highurgency contexts but, in contrast to adults, low assignment to specific predator types. However, the discrimination among predator types was better in high-urgency than in low-urgency contexts. Our results suggest that acoust...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivation before Meaning: Motivational Information Encoded in Meerkat Alarm Calls Develops Earlier than Referential Information

Hollén

Manser

2007

The American Naturalist

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“…It is possible that the non-specific alarm calls produced by meerkats, the majority of which are typically noisy in structure and therefore require relatively little control over the vocal apparatus (e.g. Lieberman 1986;Hammerschmidt et al 2001;Scheiner et al 2002), are easier for young to produce. Both maturation processes as well as training of muscular coordination can improve this control (Boliek et al 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ontogenetic changes in alarm-call production and usage in meerkats (Suricata suricatta): adaptations or constraints?

Hollén

Clutton‐Brock

Manser

2007

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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In many species, individuals suffer major mortality in their first year because of predation. Behaviours that facilitate successful escape are therefore under strong selection, but anti-predator skills often emerge gradually during an individual's early development. Using long-term data and acoustic recordings of alarm calls collected during natural predator encounters, we aimed to elucidate two largely unsolved issues in anti-predator ontogeny: (1) whether incorrect predator assignment is adaptively ageappropriate, given that vulnerability often changes during development, or whether age-related differences reflect true mistakes made by immature individuals; and (2) the extent to which the development of adult-like competence in alarm-call production and usage is simply a function of maturational processes or dependent upon experience. We found that young meerkats (Suricata suricatta) were less likely to give alarm calls than adults, but alarmed more in response to non-threatening species compared to adults. However, stimuli that pose a greater threat to young than adults did not elicit more calling from young; this argues against age-related changes in vulnerability as the sole explanation for developmental changes in calling. Young in small groups, who were more likely to watch out for predators, alarmed more than less vigilant young in larger groups. Moreover, despite similarities in acoustic structure between alarm call types, calls appeared in the repertoire at different rates, and those that were associated with frequently encountered predators were produced relatively early on. These results indicate that experience is a more plausible explanation for such developmental trajectories than maturation.

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“…This last finding provides a parallel to Provine's ͑1993͒ report that laughter "punctuates" rather than interrupting speech flow in normally hearing talkers. However, only Scheiner et al ͑2002; reported acoustic analyses in this earlier work, and their limited sample size did not allow detailed comparison of laugh acoustics in the impaired and normally hearing groups. Inferences about possible effects of experience on finer-grained aspects of vocal acoustics were also hindered by the fact that each of the impaired infants received a hearing aid during the course of the study.…”

Section: A Laughter and Auditory Experiencementioning

confidence: 93%

An acoustic analysis of laughter produced by congenitally deaf and normally hearing college students

Makagon

Funayama

Owren

2008

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

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Relatively few empirical data are available concerning the role of auditory experience in nonverbal human vocal behavior, such as laughter production. This study compared the acoustic properties of laughter in 19 congenitally, bilaterally, and profoundly deaf college students and in 23 normally hearing control participants. Analyses focused on degree of voicing, mouth position, air-flow direction, temporal features, relative amplitude, fundamental frequency, and formant frequencies. Results showed that laughter produced by the deaf participants was fundamentally similar to that produced by the normally hearing individuals, which in turn was consistent with previously reported findings. Finding comparable acoustic properties in the sounds produced by deaf and hearing vocalizers confirms the presumption that laughter is importantly grounded in human biology, and that auditory experience with this vocalization is not necessary for it to emerge in species-typical form. Some differences were found between the laughter of deaf and hearing groups; the most important being that the deaf participants produced lower-amplitude and longer-duration laughs. These discrepancies are likely due to a combination of the physiological and social factors that routinely affect profoundly deaf individuals, including low overall rates of vocal fold use and pressure from the hearing world to suppress spontaneous vocalizations.

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Acoustic Analyses of Developmental Changes and Emotional Expression in the Preverbal Vocalizations of Infants

Cited by 101 publications

References 23 publications

Motivation before Meaning: Motivational Information Encoded in Meerkat Alarm Calls Develops Earlier than Referential Information

Motivation before Meaning: Motivational Information Encoded in Meerkat Alarm Calls Develops Earlier than Referential Information

Ontogenetic changes in alarm-call production and usage in meerkats (Suricata suricatta): adaptations or constraints?

An acoustic analysis of laughter produced by congenitally deaf and normally hearing college students

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