How perceptions are influenced by expectations: Songbird study draws parallels with human speech processing

image via Medical Xpress - medical research advances and health news

March 31, 2025, 11:30 AM

• •Songbirds' perceptions, like humans', are influenced by expectations, shaping brain activity and behavior.
• •The sensory brain of songbirds uses expectation to enhance sensory perception and retain high-fidelity representations of the world.

A study published in Nature Neuroscience reveals that songbirds' perceptions of birdsongs are influenced by their expectations, mirroring how humans perceive speech. Researchers at UC San Diego found that songbirds, like humans, use expectations to enhance sensory perception, preserving high-fidelity representations. The study's findings suggest that the sensory brain in songbirds focuses on relevant signals, improving perceptual acuity, and leaving the bias to downstream processing. This research could inspire further investigations into the neural basis of expectation-driven shifts in perception in both songbirds and humans, potentially shedding light on speech and vocal perception processes.

Read original article