HAS-BME Momentum Language Acquisition Research Group
Research keywords:
· cognitive psychology
· psycholinguistics
· language acquisition
· statistical learning
· language processing
· memory
· learning
· executive functions
· language and cognition
· neurodevelopmental disorders
· neuropsychology
· lifelong development
· aging
· language and cognitive assessment
· neuropsychological test development
Horizon Europe keywords:
· Health technologies, new tools and solutions
Introduction of the Research Group
The main objective of research in the HAS-BME Momentum Language Acquisition Research Group is to explore the nature of statistical learning (SL), a core background mechanism of language acquisition and specify how variation in SL (together with other cognitive mechanisms) contributes to individual differences (IDs) in language abilities. We plan to pursue two main lines of enquiry: 1) Profiling SL by investigating SL in linguistic and non-linguistic domains, and by exploring modality (visual versus acoustic) and training effects (e.g. starting small, starting big). 2) Profiling language learners by examining IDs in language ability and in associated electrophysiological and genetic correlates, and specifying how IDs in SL in different domains contribute to variation in language performance together with IDs in other sources of cognitive variation such as working memory and executive functions. We will test whether SL differences are predictive of variation in language abilities covering the entire spectrum of linguistic ability from impaired (neurodevelopmental and acquired disorders: SLI, dyslexia, aphasia, ASD) to intact and outstanding. This new perspective of focusing on individual as well as group-level differences complemented with an integrative approach of examining the effects of several language-relevant cognitive mechanisms simultaneously in a large and unique sample showing individual variation across the entire spectrum of language abilities provides a foundation for an integrated account of language acquisition.
Achievements
-We developed online methods for testing SL and evaluated the validity and suitability of different methods in studying the extraction of specific and abstract patterns. Comparing learning across different modalities and domains. We have shown that although ST is a domain-general process, modality-, domain-, and even stimulus-dependent specific constraints affect learning efficiency: sequential presentation results in particularly effective learning with acoustic linguistic stimuli.-We examined the vulnerability of statistical learning in dyslexia and developmental language disorder and found similar patterns: both groups learned effectively in acoustic linguistic and visual non-linguistic segmentation, the impairments observed in previous studies was present in offline tasks requiring similarity/well-formedness judgments mobilizing metacognitive abilities as well.
-The adaptation and standardization of the Comprehensive Aphasia Test-H (CAT-H) is finished, the results have been published, the test is to be published by the Hungarian publisher. All subtests of the KOBAK complex developmental language screening test have been developed, stimulus materials and tasks have been finalized based on large-sample pilot studies, and the test is ready to be standardized on a representative sample. To detail and complement this brief summary of the main results, we present results and developments in detail below by modules and subprojects. We hope work in the last two years will yield further results that together findings of the first three years will allow integrative conclusions in all subprojects.
Publications
Dobó, D., Lukics, K. S., Németh, K., Szőllősi, Á. & Lukács, Á. (2021). Statistical Learning and the Effect of Starting Small in Developmental Dyslexia. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64(5) 1621-1635. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_JSLHR-20-00145Ladányi, E., Lukács, Á., Gervain, J. (2021). Does rhythmic priming improve grammatical processing in Hungarian-speaking children with and without Developmental Language Disorder? Developmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13112
Lukács, Á., Lukics, K. S., Dobó, D. (2021). Online Statistical Learning in Developmental Language Disorder. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 15:715818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.715818
Lukics, K. S. & Lukács, Á. (2021). Tracking statistical learning online: word segmentation in a target detection task. Acta Psychologica, 215, 103271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103271
Zakariás L., & Lukács Á. (2021). The Comprehensive Aphasia Test–Hungarian: adaptation and psychometric properties. Aphasiology, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2021.1937921
Awards
2010 September 2013 September János Bolyai Research Fellowship 2009. June: BME GTK, Researcher Award of the Faculty 2009. February: Talentum-award 2005 September 2008 September János Bolyai Research Fellowship 2004. March: Junior Researcher Award of the Hungarian Academy of SciencesJournals
Cognitive Science, Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, Frontiers in Neuroscience, Frontiers in Psychology, PloSOne, Developmental Science, Acta PsychologiaProjects
Principal Investigator:2018--HAS-BME Momentum Language Acquisition Research Group, ‘Profiling learning mechanisms and learners: individual differences from impairments to excellence in statistical learning and in language acquisition’, 96233
2011-2014: Nonlinguistic abilities in Specific Language Impairment. OTKA K 83619
2005-2008: Morphological Deficits in Specific Language Impairment NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH NIH 2 R01DC00458-18/511-1776-01 to prof. Laurence B. Leonard, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. Hungarian PI (BME Department of Cognitive Science)
Participant:
2009-2013: Language Impairment in a Multilingual Society: Linguistic Patterns and a Road to Assesment COST ACTION IS0804 (PI: Sharon Armon-Lotem, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel)
2005-2008: A nyelv mentális reprezentációja (The mental representation of language) OTKA TS 049840 (PI: Csaba Pléh, BME Department of Cognitive Science)
Conferences
Dobó D., Lukics K. S., Szőllősi Á., Németh K. & Lukács Á. (2020, February 13). Mesterséges nyelvtan tanulás és kicsiben kezdés diszlexiában és tipikus fejlődésben [conference presentation]. Nyelvfejlődés csecsemőkortól kamaszkorig, Budapest, ELTE BTK.Dobó, D., Lukács, Á., Lukics, K., Szollosi, Á. & Nemeth, K. (2021, July 15-23). Statistical Learning, Cognitive Control, Working Memory and their Contributions to Reading in Developmental Dyslexia and Typical Development [conference presentation]. International Association for the Study of Child Language Conference, online.
Kas B., Csabai R., Szabó H., Szűcs H. & Lukács Á. (2020, February 13). Nyelvfejlődési zavar a beilleszkedési, tanulási és magatartási nehézségek (BTMN) hátterében [conference presentation]. Nyelvfejlődés csecsemőkortól kamaszkorig, Budapest, ELTE BTK.
Kas, B. & Lukács, Á. (2021, June 23-25). Developmental language disorder as a background factor for social, learning and behavioural difficulties [conference presentation]. International Clinical Phonetics and Linguistics Association Conference, online.
Lukács, Á. (2021, August 26-28). A nyelvelsajátítás tipikus és atipikus útjai: a megismerőfunkciók szerepe a nyelvi rendszer rezilienciájában [Grastyán conference presentation]. MPT Nagygyűlés, Székesfehérvár.
Lukács, Á. (2021, April 22). Statistical learning in typical and atypical language acquisition. Invited talk at ELTE FEP Institute of Psychology.
Lukács, Á., Dobó, D. & Lukics, K. S. (2019, June 27-29). Artificial grammar learning and training effects across modalities and domains [conference presentation]. Interdisciplinary Advances in Statistical Learning, San Sebastian, Spain.
Lukács, Á., Dobó, D., Németh, K., Szőllősi, Á. & Lukics, K.S. (2019, June 27-29). Domain general statistical learning impairment in dyslexia: sensitivity of online and offline measures across modalities and domains [conference presentation]. Interdisciplinary Advances in Statistical Learning, San Sebastian, Spain.
Lukács, Á., Dobó, D., Szőllősi, Á., Németh, K. & Lukics, K. S. (2019, September 6-8). Segmentation impairment in dyslexia across modalities and domains: online and offline measures [conference presentation]. The 25th Architectures and Mechanisms of Language Processing Conference, Moscow, Russia.
Lukács, Á., Lukics, K. S., Németh, K., Szőllősi, Á. & Dobó, D. (2021, June 23-25). Statistical learning in developmental language disorder and in developmental dyslexia across modalities and domains [conference presentation]. International Clinical Phonetics and Linguistics Association Conference, online.
Lukics, K. & Lukács, Á. (2020, May 7-9). The effect of grammar type and complexity on artificial grammar learning [conference presentation]. 9th Implicit Learning Seminar 9, Graz, postponed due to COVID-19.
Németh, K., Szőllősi, Á. & Lukács, Á. (2020, May 28-30). Arcfelismerési zavar olvasási zavarban [conference presentation]. Magyar Pszichológiai Társaság XXIX. Országos Tudományos Nagygyűlése, Budapest, postponed due to COVID-19.
Zakariás L. & Lukács Á. (2020, November 27). Egyénen belüli teljesítményváltozékonyság poszt-stroke afáziában: egy próbavizsgálat eredményei [conference presentation]. Magyar Rehabilitációs Társaság Vándorgyűlése, online.
Zakariás L. & Lukács Á. (2021, October 7-9). A Comprehensive Aphasia Test-Hungarian (CAT-H) pszichometriai jellemzői [conference presentation]. Magyar Rehabilitációs Társaság Vándorgyűlése, Szeged.
Zakariás, L. & Lukács, Á. (2020, January 24). CAT-H: új eljárás az afázia magyar nyelvű diagnosztikájában [conference presentation]. Magyar Rehabilitációs Társaság Klinikai Logopédiai Szekció Konferenciája, Budapest.
Zakariás, L., Rózsa S. & Lukács, Á. (2019, October 3-5). CAT-H: új eljárás az afázia magyar nyelvű diagnosztikájában [conference presentation]. Magyar Rehabilitációs Társaság XXXVIII. Vándorgyűlése, Debrecen.
Zakariás, L., Rózsa S. & Lukács, Á. (2019, May 28-30). CAT-H: új eljárás az afázia magyar nyelvű diagnosztikájában [con