Cover not available

In:Implicit and Explicit Learning of Languages
Edited by Patrick Rebuschat
[Studies in Bilingualism 48] 2015
► pp. 191–212

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload Book PDF
authorization required

Implicit statistical learning and language acquisition

Experience-dependent constraints on learning

 | Eastern Illinois University
 | Georgia State University
Published online: 24 September 2015
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.48.09wal
Acquiring spoken language involves implicitly learning the statistical relations among language units. In this chapter, we review recent behavioral and neurophysiological findings from our research group that illuminate the relation of this type of ‘implicit statistical learning’ (ISL) to language acquisition. First, we review evidence illustrating that ISL mechanisms enable the learner to predict upcoming language units. Second, we show modality constraints affecting the operation of ISL mechanisms, with auditory and visual learning biased to learn different types of patterns. Third, we demonstrate that under certain developmental conditions typical ISL abilities are altered, which can detrimentally affect subsequent language acquisition. These findings highlight the experience-dependent nature of ISL and its relation to typical and atypical language acquisition.
References (80)
References
Altmann, G.T.M., Dienes, Z., & Goode, A. (1995). Modality independence of implicitly learned grammatical knowledge. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 21, 899–912. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Arciuli, J., & Simpson, I. (2012). Statistical learning is related to reading ability in children and adults. Cognitive Science, 36, 286–304. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bauer, P.J., & Mandler, J.M. (1992). Putting the horse before the cart: The use of temporal order in recall of events by one-year-old children. Developmental Psychology, 28(3), 441–452. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bernstein, L.E. (2005). Phonetic processing by the speech perceiving brain. In D.B. Pisoni & R.E. Remez (Eds.), Handbook of speech perception (pp. 79–98). Malden, MA: Blackwell. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Christiansen, M.H., Conway, C.M., & Onnis, L. (2012). Similar neural correlates for language and sequential learning: Evidence from event-related brain potentials. Language and Cognitive Processes, 27, 231–256. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Bauerschmidt, A., Huang, S.S., & Pisoni, D.B. (2010). Implicit statistical learning in language processing: Word predictability is the key. Cognition, 114, 356–371. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., & Christiansen, M.H. (2009). Seeing and hearing in space and time: Effects of modality and presentation rate on implicit statistical learning. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 21, 561–580. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2006). Statistical learning within and between modalities: Pitting abstract against stimulus-specific representations. Psychological Science, 17, 905–912. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2005). Modality-constrained statistical learning of tactile, visual, and auditory sequences. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 31(1), 24–39. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Deocampo, J., Walk, A.M., Anaya, E.M., & Pisoni, D.B. (2014). Deaf children with cochlear implants do not appear to use sentence context to help recognize spoken words. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 57(6), 2174–2190. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., & Christiansen, M.H. (2001). Sequential learning in non-human primates. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5(12), 539–546. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Goldstone, R.L., & Christiansen, M.H. (2007). Spatial constraints on visual statistical learning of multi-element scenes. In D.S. McNamara & J.G. Trafton (Eds.), Proceedings of the 29th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (pp.185–190). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Gremp, M.A., Walk, A.D., Bauernschmidt, A., & Pisoni, D.B. (2012). Can we enhance domain-general learning abilities to improve language function? In P. Rebuschat & J. Williams (Eds.), Statistical learning and language acquisition (pp. 305–336). Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Karpicke, J., Anaya, E.M., Henning, S.C., Kronenberger, W.G., & Pisoni, D.B. (2011). Nonverbal cognition in deaf children following cochlear implantation: Motor sequencing disturbances mediate language delays. Developmental Neuropsychology, 36, 237–254. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., & Pisoni, D.B. (2008). Neurocognitive basis of implicit learning of sequential structure and its relation to language processing. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences,1145, 113–131. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Pisoni, D.B., Anaya, E.M., Karpicke, J., & Henning, S.C. (2011). Implicit sequence learning in deaf children with cochlear implants. Developmental Science, 14, 69–82. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Conway, C.M., Pisoni, D.B., & Kronenberger, W.G. (2009). The importance of sound for cognitive sequencing abilities: The auditory scaffolding hypothesis. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 275–279. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Coulson, S., King, J., & Kutas, M. (1998). Expect the unexpected: Event-related brain response to morphosyntactic violations. Language and Cognitive Processes, 13, 21–58. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
DeKeyser, R.M. (1995). Learning second language grammar rules: An experiment with a miniature linguistic system. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 17(3): 379–410. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dye, M.W.G., & Bavelier, D. (2010). Attentional enhancements and deficits in deaf populations: An integrative review. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 28, 181–192.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eckerth, J., & Tavakoli, P. (2012). The effects of word exposure frequency and elaboration of word processing on incidental L2 vocabulary acquisition through reading. Language Teaching Research, 16(2), 227–252. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eden, G.F., Stein, J.F., Wood, H.M., & Wood, F.B. (1995). Temporal and spatial processing in reading disabled and normal children. Cortex, 31, 451–468. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eisenberg, L.S., Martinez, A.S., Holowecky, S.R., & Pogorelsky, S. (2002). Recognition of lexically controlled words and sentences by children with normal hearing and children with cochlear implants. Ear & Hearing, 23(5), 450–462. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Elman, J.L. (1993). Learning and development in neural networks: The importance of starting small. Cognition, 48, 71–99. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1991). Distributed representations, simple recurrent networks, and grammatical structure. Machine Learning, 7, 195–225. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Emberson, L.L., Conway, C.M., & Christiansen, M.H. (2011). Timing is everything: Changes in presentation rate have opposite effects on auditory and visual implicit statistical learning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64, 1021–1040. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Feldman, J., Kerr, B., & Streissguth, A.P. (1995). Correlational analyses of procedural and declarative learning performance. Intelligence, 20, 87–114. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fiser, J., & Aslin, R.N. (2002). Statistical learning of new visual feature combinations by infants. PNAS, 99(24), 15822–15826. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gathercole, S.E., & Baddeley, A.D. (1989). Evaluation of the role of phonological STM in the development of vocabulary in children: A longitudinal study. Journal of Memory and Language, 28, 200–213. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Giroux, I. & Rey, A. (2009). Lexical and sublexical units in speech perception. Cognitive Science, 33(2), 260–272. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goldberg, A. (1993). Constructions: A new theoretical approach to language. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7(5), 219- 224. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goschke, T. & Bolte, A. (2012). On the modularity of implicit sequence learning: Independent acquisition of spatial, symbolic, and manual sequences. Cognitive Psychology, 65, 284–320. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hammill, D.D., Brown, V.L., Larsen, S.C., & Wiederholt, J.L. (1994). Test of adolescent and adult language: Assessing linguistic aspects of listening, speaking, reading, and writing (3rd ed.). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hawkins, J. (2004). On intelligence. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Griffin.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hespos, S.J., Saylor, M.M. & Grossman, S.R. (2009). Infants ability to parse continuous actions. Developmental Psychology, 45(2), 575–585. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Howard Jr., J.H., Howard, D.V., Japikse, K.C., & Eden, F.G. (2006). Dyslexics are impaired on implicit higher-order sequence learning, but not on implicit spatial context learning. Neuropsychologia, 44, 1131–1144. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hulme, C., & Snowling, M. (1992). Deficits in output phonology: An explanation of reading failure. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 9, 47–72. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hulstijn, J.H. (2005). Theoretical and empirical issues in the study of implicit and explicit second-language learning. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 27, 129–140. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Janacsek, K., Fiser, J., & Nemeth, D. (2012). The best time to acquire new skills: Age-related differences in implicit sequence learning across the human lifespan. Developmental Science, 15, 496–505. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jones, J., & Pashler, H. (2007). Is the mind inherently forward looking? Comparing prediction with retrodiction. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14, 295–300. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jost, E., Conway, C.M., Purdy, J.D., & Hendricks, M.A. (2011). Neurophysiological correlates of visual statistical learning in adults and children. In L. Carlson, C. Hoelscher, & T.F. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 2526–2531). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jusczyk, P., Houston, D.M., & Newsome, M. (1999). The beginnings of word segmentation in English-learning infants. Cognitive Psychology, 39, 159–207. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kidd, E. (2012). Implicit statistical learning is directly associated with the acquisition of syntax. Developmental Psychology, 48, 171–184. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kirkham, N.Z., Slemmer, J.A., & Johnson, S.P. (2002). Visual statistical learning in infancy: Evidence for a domain general learning mechanism. Cognition, 83, B35–B42. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kirsner, K., Milech, D., & Standen, P. (1983). Common and modality-specific processes in the mental lexicon. Memory & Cognition, 11(6), 621–630. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Klingberg, T. (2010). Training and plasticity of working memory. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 14, 317–324. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Krashen, S.D., & Terrell, T.D. (1983). The natural approach: Language acquisition in the classroom. San Fransisco, CA: The Alemany Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kubovy, M. (1988). Should we resist the seductiveness of the space:time::vision:audition analogy? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 14, 318–320. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuhl, P.K. (2004). Early language acquisition: Cracking the speech code. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5, 831–843. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kveraga, K., Ghuman, A.S., & Bar, M. (2007). Top-down predictions in the cognitive brain. Brain and Cognition, 65, 145–168. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lam, W.Y.K. (2009). Examining the effects of metacognitive strategy instruction on ESL group discussions: A synthesis of approaches. Language Teaching Resesarch, 13(2), 129–150. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lashley, K.S. (1951[2004]). The problem of serial order in behavior. First language acquisition: The essential readings, B. Lust & C. Foley (Eds.). Malden, MA: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Leclercq, A., & Majerus, S. (2010). Serial order short term memory predicts vocabulary development: Evidence from a longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 46(2), 417–427. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Manza, L., & Reber, A.S. (1997). Representing artificial grammars: Transfer across stimulus forms and modalities. In D.C. Berry (Ed.), How implicit is implicit learning? (pp. 73–106). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mecklenbräuker, S., Hupbach, A., & Wippich, W. (2003). Age-related improvements in a conceptual implicit memory test. Memory, 1208–1217. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Misyak, J.B., & Christiansen, M.H. (2012). Statistical learning and language: An individual differences study. Language Learning, 62, 302–331. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Newport, E.L. (1990). Maturational constraints on language learning. Cognitive Science, 14, 11–28. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Perruchet, P., & Vinter, A. (1998). Parser: A model for word segmentation. Journal of Memory and Language, 39, 246–263. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Poletiek, F.H., Conway, C.M., Ellefson, M.R., & Christiansen, M.H. (under review). Under what conditions can recursion be learned? Effects of starting small in artificial grammar learning of recursive structure. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Reber, A.S. (1989). Implicit learning and tacit knowledge. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 118(3), 219–235. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1967). Implicit learning of artificial grammars. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 77, 317–327.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1993). Implicit learning and tacit knowledge: An essay on the cognitive unconscious. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rosenbaum, D.A., Cohen, R.G., Jax, S.A., Weiss, D.J., & van der Wel, R. (2007). The problem of serial order in behavior: Lashley’s legacy. Human Movement Science, 26, 525–554. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rüsseler, J., & Roesler, F. (2000). Implicit and explicit learning of event sequences: Evidence for distinct coding of perceptual and motor representations. Acta Psychologica, 104, 45–67. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Saffran, J.R. (2001). The use of predictive dependencies in language learning. Journal of Memory and Language, 44, 493–515. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2002). Constraints on language learning. Journal of Memory and Language, 47(1), 172–196. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Saffran, J.R., Aslin, R.N., & Newport, E.L. (1996). Statistical learning by 8-month-old infants. Science, 274, 1926–1928. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Saffran, J.R., Johnson, E.K., Aslin, R.N. & Newport, E.L. (1999). Statistical learning of tone sequences by human infants and adults. Cognition, 70, 27–52. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schlaghecken, F., Stuermer, B., & Eimer, M. (2000). Chunking processes in the learning of event sequences: Electrophysiological indicators. Memory & Cogniton, 28(5), 821–831. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schmidt, R.W. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language acquisition. Applied Linguistics, 11(2), 129–158. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shamma, S. (2001). On the role of space and time in auditory processing. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5, 340–348. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sharon, T., & Wynn, K. (1998). Individuation of action from continuous motion. Psychological Science, 9, 357–362. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Robinson, C.W., & Sloutsky, V.M. (2007). Visual statistical learning: Getting some help from the auditory modality. In D.S. McNamara & J.G. Trafton (Eds.), Proceedings of the 29th Annual Cognitive Science Society (pp. 611–616). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Robinson, P. (1997). Learning simple and complex second language rules under implicit, incidental, rule-search, and instructed conditions. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18(1), 27–67. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Thomas, K., Hunt, R., Vizueta, N., Sommer, T., Durston, S., Yang, Y., & Worden, M.S. (2004). Evidence of developmental differences in implicit sequence learning: An fMRI study of children and adults. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16, 1339–1351. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Turk-Browne, N.B., & Scholl, B.J. (2009). Flexible visual statistical learning: Transfer across space and time. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 35, 195–202. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Turk-Browne, N.B., Scholl, B.J., Chun, M.M., & Johnson, M.K. (2009). Neural evidence of statistical learning: Efficient detection of visual regularities without awareness. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 21, 1934–1945. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Walk, A.M., & Conway, C.M. (2011). Multisensory statistical learning: Can associations across perceptual categories be acquired? In L. Carlson, C. Hoelscher, & T.F. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 3337–3342). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zacks, J.M., Speer, N.K., Vettel, J.M., & Jacoby, L.L. (2006). Event understanding and memory in healthy aging and dementia of the Alzheimer type. Psychology & Aging, 21, 466–482. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zacks, J.M., & Swallow, K.M. (2007). Event segmentation. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(2), 80–84. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (3)

Cited by three other publications

Gerits, Hedwig & Kris Van den Branden
2023. The acquisition of L2 Hungariangrammar rules and the implicit-explicit debate. ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics 174:2 ► pp. 202 ff. DOI logo
KIM, KATHY MINHYE & ALINE GODFROID
2019. Should We Listen or Read? Modality Effects in Implicit and Explicit Knowledge . The Modern Language Journal 103:3 ► pp. 648 ff. DOI logo
Andringa, Sible & Patrick Rebuschat
2015. NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE STUDY OF IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT LEARNING. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 37:2 ► pp. 185 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 1 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue