Bird Song:  Learning, Perception and Function
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Fred Stollnitz', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Bird song is of considerable general scientific interest because it has         proved to be the single best model system, involving a                          naturally-occurring complex behavior, for (a) the study of learning, and        (b) the study of brain-behavior relationships.  In addition, there are          many surprising parallels between bird song and human language,                 including developmental and neurological similarities.  The present             research approach is unique in considering the song communication system        from a perceptual point of view.  Previous research has focussed on the         signals, and has generally ignored the transformations performed on             these signals by the animal's sensory-perceptual system.  This approach         is incomplete and potentially misleading if the animals perceive their          signal systems differently from humans, as is very likely the case for          many animal communication systems, and for bird song in particular.             Methods have been developed in recent years that allow a researcher to          characterize the perceptual dimensions of a set of stimuli for an animal        by training it to indicate the perceived similarity between a pair of           stimuli for all possible pairs in the set.  This approach and related           methods will be used to map the perceptual dimensions of the song system        of the Song Sparrow, a species with a particularly complex and varied           song.  To examine the role of experience in the development of normal           song experience, birds raised with and birds raised without hearing             normal species song will be compared.  Preliminary data has shown that          the latter birds sing an abnormal song as adults and it is expected that        their song perception is abnormal as well.  In addition, correlations           between song experience, song perception and the relative development of        song centers in the brain will be determined.  Therefore this research          will advance our understanding and increase the utility of this model           system by providing information on the heretofore neglected perceptual          side of song learning.
{'FirstName': 'Michael', 'LastName': 'Beecher', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'D', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Michael D Beecher', 'EmailAddress': 'beecher@u.washington.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000314445', 'StartDate': '08/15/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Washington', 'CityName': 'SEATTLE', 'ZipCode': '981951016', 'PhoneNumber': '2065434043', 'StreetAddress': '4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Washington', 'StateCode': 'WA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '07', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'WA07', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'HD1WMN6945W6', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
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[{'Code': '1160', 'Text': 'IBN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR'}, {'Code': '1185', 'Text': 'SENSORY SYSTEMS'}]
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