Featured Publications
Acoustic regularities in infant-directed speech and song across cultures
Hilton C, Moser C, Bertolo M, Lee-Rubin H, Amir D, Bainbridge C, Simson J, Knox D, Glowacki L, Alemu E, Galbarczyk A, Jasienska G, Ross C, Neff M, Martin A, Cirelli L, Trehub S, Song J, Kim M, Schachner A, Vardy T, Atkinson Q, Salenius A, Andelin J, Antfolk J, Madhivanan P, Siddaiah A, Placek C, Salali G, Keestra S, Singh M, Collins S, Patton J, Scaff C, Stieglitz J, Cutipa S, Moya C, Sagar R, Anyawire M, Mabulla A, Wood B, Krasnow M, Mehr S. Acoustic regularities in infant-directed speech and song across cultures. Nature Human Behaviour 2022, 6: 1545-1556. PMID: 35851843, PMCID: PMC10101735, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01410-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAcoustic featuresAdult-directed speechInfant-directed speechEnglish language websitesRecordings of infantsLinguistic relatednessAcoustic regularitiesListeners' sensitivityHuman communicationPsychological functionsAcoustic differencesSmall-scale societiesSongsSpeechAcoustic profilesCultureVocalizationsCommunicationLanguagePeopleListenersVocalizerMusicSocietyCommon setUniversal interpretations of vocal music
Yurdum L, Singh M, Glowacki L, Vardy T, Atkinson Q, Hilton C, Sauter D, Krasnow M, Mehr S. Universal interpretations of vocal music. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2218593120. PMID: 37676911, PMCID: PMC10500275, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218593120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVocal musicDance songsSmall-scale societiesUniversal interpretationHuman songMusical diversityMusical featuresUnfamiliar songsCultural contentUnfamiliar languageGlobal mediaMusicSongsCultural evolutionLullabiesAcoustic characteristicsListenersBehavioral contextSocietyPerceptual phenomenaContextSingersEnglishLanguagePerceptual sensitivityLanguage experience predicts music processing in a half-million speakers of fifty-four languages
Liu J, Hilton C, Bergelson E, Mehr S. Language experience predicts music processing in a half-million speakers of fifty-four languages. Current Biology 2023, 33: 1916-1925.e4. PMID: 37105166, PMCID: PMC10306420, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.067.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-tonal languagesNative speakersTonal languageTonal language speakersUse of pitchMusic perception skillsLanguage speakersLinguistic experienceDiverse languagesLanguage experienceLinguistic pitchPerception of pitchCultural differencesSpeakersLanguageLifelong experienceMusic perceptionMusic trainingPerception skillsMusic processingMusical beatAuditory processingMusical melodiesHuman mindMusic lessons
2023
Children Infer the Behavioral Contexts of Unfamiliar Foreign Songs
Hilton C, Thierry L, Yan R, Martin A, Mehr S. Children Infer the Behavioral Contexts of Unfamiliar Foreign Songs. Journal Of Experimental Psychology General 2023, 152: 839-850. PMID: 36222671, PMCID: PMC10083193, DOI: 10.1037/xge0001289.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAdultAuditory PerceptionChildChild, PreschoolHumansInfantLanguageMusicParentsConceptsBehavioral contextExperience of musicExtensive musical experienceMusic functionsMusical experienceMusical formMusical idiomMusical exposureSame songForeign songsEffect of experienceMusicWorld cultureAcoustical featuresKorean listenersBroader cultureChildren's inferencesSongsLullabiesHuman mindForeign languageUniversal linkOnline experimentSuch inferencesLarge sample