Perceptual Learning and Recognition of Random Acoustic Patterns

The human auditory system is capable of learning unstructured acoustic patterns that occur repeatedly. While most previous studies on perceptual focused seamless pattern repetitions, our study included several presentation formats, which are more typical for memory tasks (involving temporal delays or irrelevant information between presentations), and probed active recognition learned directly. We adapted an established implicit paradigm presented three groups listeners with the same in different i.e., either back-to-back, separated by a silent interval masker sound. Participants additionally completed unexpected test after phase. found substantial all groups, measured indirectly via increased sensitivity task occurred repeatedly (compared to only once) directly above-chance performance test. Pattern were robust across formats. Therefore, we propose similar mechanisms might underlie formation initially unfamiliar sounds everyday listening situations. Moreover, memories acquired implicitly through enable subsequent recognition.