Subcategory learning in normal and language learning-disabled adults: how much information do they need?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine if nonreferential morphophonological information was sufficient to facilitate the learning of gender subcategories (i.e., masculine vs. feminine) in individuals with normal language (NL) and those with a history of language-based learning disabilities (HLD).


METHODS
Thirty-two adults listened for 18 min to a familiarization set of Russian words that included either 1 (single-marked) or 2 (double-marked) morphophonological markers indicating gender. Participants were then tested on their knowledge of both trained and untrained members of each gender subcategory.


RESULTS
Testing indicated that morphophonological information is sufficient for lexical subcategory learning in both NL and HLD groups, although the HLD group had lower overall accuracy. The HLD group benefited from double-marking relative to single-marking for subcategory learning.


CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrated that learning through implicit mechanisms occurred after a relatively brief exposure to the language stimuli. In addition, the weaker overall learning by the HLD group was facilitated when multiple cues to linguistic subcategory were available in the input group members received.
Richardson
Jessica
J
University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. jdrich@uga.edu
Harris
Laurel
L
Plante
Elena
E
Gerken
Louann
L
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007859:Learning Disabilities; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013067:Speech Perception; D013997:Time Factors; D014706:Verbal Learning