Potter, C. , Wang, T. & Saffran, J.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Recent research has explored both the specificity of statistical learning mechanisms and the breadth of their involvement in cognitive processes. In particular, statistical learning tasks can predict individual differences in language processing and have been correlated with success in second language learning (Frost, Siegelman, Narkiss & Afek, 2013). In the current study, we asked whether experience with a second language also influences implicit learning abilities. Specifically, we were interested in whether learning Mandarin as a second language might improve participants' performance in segmenting an artificial tonal language, a task known to be difficult for non-tonal speakers (Wang & Saffran, 2014). We tested students who were enrolled in beginning Mandarin classes at the beginning and end of the year, as well as a control group with no exposure to tonal languages. Participants performed the tonal statistical learning task and a visual statistical learning task (Fiser & Aslin, 2002) at two time points, six months apart. Only the Mandarin-learning group improved on the tonal statistical learning task, although the control group did show improvement on the visual task. These results suggest there may be multiple influences on statistical learning, including both task-specific and broader language experience.