ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses implicit memory is based on statistical learning; phonological learning of word forms is based on implicit memory, and therefore that phonological learning of word forms is statistical learning. The hypothesis that phonological learning of word forms is based on implicit memory predicts that implicit memory tasks employing nonwords should yield a typical profile of skill learning and repetition priming. The effects of neighborhood density provide new evidence that phonological learning is affected by the distributional statistics of the environment. The theoretical and computational analyses suggest that implicit memory is based on statistical learning mechanisms. Together the present results provide new evidence that learning novel phonological forms is based on statistical mechanisms. Performance functions were very similar to those in standard implicit memory tasks, exhibiting classic skill learning and repetition priming. These findings suggest that implicit memory plays a role in the learning of phonological forms, which in turn suggests a role for statistical mechanisms in phonological learning.
