What is statistical learning?

         The is a brief description of my research interests. If you are want to know more please contact me!

       My research is primarily centered on the neural mechanisms underlying language and learning abilities. This is why, I am particularly interested in processes such as language acquisition. It has been suggested that the process of acquiring language might depend on an implicit understanding of sequences and statistical rules. This may sound unnecessarily complicated but we perform similar feats everyday.  For instance, to the musically trained ear, every note makes sense because it is governed by musical rules. In natural language, words in a coherent sentence must adhere to syntax or grammatical rules.

What brain processes rely on learning sequences?

Even simpler, at a traffic signal we know the sequence of lights and can even predict with a certain probability when the green light will appear. All of these instances make up the definition of statistical learning. Very often, this kind of learning is studied using artificial grammars or tasks involving the role of prediction.

Artificial Grammar

It is thought that our brains constantly identify structured patterns from the environment. With time and long exposure to the world, these structures become complex and are continuously expanding. However, it is still hotly debated whether these patterns are implicitly or explicitly acquired.  Whether or not this mapping of patterns is affected when learning a second language, is also important to scientific investigation. Therefore, the way in which we learn structured sequences and the neurophysiological mechanisms synonymous with such learning are still debatable.