Source Paper
Exploring phonological complexity in statistical learning of artificial words
Maggu AR, Overath T
PLoS One • 2026
Word Segmentation
Objective: To measure participants' ability to segment artificial words from continuous auditory streams based on statistical learning and pattern induction
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Equipment6
Materials2
Custom recorded • N/A
Psychology Software Tools • E-Studio Build 3.0.3.219
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Protocol Steps
Hearing Screening
Screen participants for hearing abilities at frequencies 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz. Exclude participants with > 20 dB HL on any tested frequency.
View evidence from paper
“All participants were screened for their hearing abilities for frequencies 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz using a Maico MA 27 screening audiometer”
Pattern Induction
Randomly allocate participants to Complex (n=39) or Simple (n=39) pattern groups. Present 30 bisyllabic speech stimuli in random order. Each stimulus is 600 ms long with 2 s inter-stimulus interval.
View evidence from paper
“All participants listened to a random order of presentation of the 30 stimuli. Each stimulus was 600 ms long and separated by an inter-stimulus interval of 2 s”
Word Segmentation
Present auditory stream containing four artificial words (two complex clusters, two simple) randomly repeated 26 times each for total of 104 stimuli presentations.
View evidence from paper
“These four stimuli were randomly repeated 26 times each, leading to a total of 104 stimuli presentations over a duration of 1 min and 12 secs”
Wordlikeness Testing
Present 8 artificial words (4 from segmentation stage, 4 novel) and have participants rate on 7-point Likert scale for wordlikeness (1=least likely, 7=most likely). Each word played twice in randomized order.
View evidence from paper
“participants were asked to rate the stimuli in this stage on a 7-point Likert scale in terms of their wordlikeness (based on their exposure so far), with 1 being "least likely" and 7 being "most likely" a 'word'”