ABSTRACT
Learning processes in Earth’s animal species have been studied in depth for more than a century, from which have emerged mathematical, theoretical and computational error-driven models of learning. In human psychology and linguistics, other learning mechanisms, such as statistical learning, as well as cognitive mechanisms, such as inference, have also been proposed. These mechanisms are reviewed in light of the implications these possibilities might have for species beyond those found on Earth, particularly with respect to adaptation. We examine how some very minor changes in conditions could effect the characteristics of an acoustic communication system. We then simulate the effects of learning on Earth vs. extra-terrestrial conditions. The simulations suggest that even a minimally altered communication signal could have dramatic effects on perception.
