Date: January 31, 2019
Source: Cornell University
Scientists
rely on animal models to gain insight into how humans learn language, but it
turns out that one of their favorite models, the zebra finch, has been entirely
misunderstood.
New
research reveals that these birds don't simply learn their songs by imitating
adults: They learn by watching their mothers' reactions to their immature
songs.
In
"Female Social Feedback Reveals Non-Imitative Mechanisms of Vocal Learning
in Zebra Finches," published Jan. 31 in Current Biology, co-authors
Michael Goldstein, associate professor of psychology, and doctoral candidate
Samantha Carouso-Peck solve the mystery of why juvenile male zebra finches
learn to sing better when females are around, even though the females don't
sing.
The
researchers found that the adult females guide juveniles' song development
through specific interactions, similar to how human babies learn to talk. This
study brings the number of species known to engage in socially guided vocal
learning to four: zebra finches, humans, marmosets and cowbirds.
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