Andrea Ravignani (PhD student in the Department of Cognitive Biology at Vienna) is visiting the LEC for a few months and will do two talks while he’s here: the first one is next Tuesday, 5th March, 11am, DSB 1.17, on “The Evolution of Complex Patterning Abilities Across Language and Music”.

The Evolution of Complex Patterning Abilities Across Language and Music

Language and music are two of the most prominent traits of human beings. Direct evidence about their origins and the evolution of their neurobiological processing requirements is unattainable. A number of indirect approaches are however available. In particular, the comparative study of cognition across a wide range of animal species can elucidate whether language and music make use of cognitive skills which specifically co-evolved with these cognitive systems, as opposed to exaptations. My work focuses on pattern perception and production, investigating their homologous and analogous cognitive underpinnings in non-human animals. I show that sensitivity to dependencies in sensory stimuli, crucial for language and music processing, is present in squirrel monkeys, notably lacking vocal learning abilities. I then present a statistical approach to visual pattern perception in pigeons and keas, focussing on individual-specific heuristics used to discriminate between stimuli. After discussing the relationship between language and music, I suggest how rhythm – present in virtually all human cultures – can embody the concept of “musical syntax”. To understand whether rhythm is a uniquely human feature, I propose some critical animal experiments and hint at my ongoing contribution to the debate. Finally, I outline my future modeling work, trying to unify signaling strategies with the origins of musical rhythm.

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