Michael Goldstein
@mikehgoldstein.bsky.social
Science (developmental psychobiology at Cornell), photography, soaring, cats. Studying vocal and social learning in birds and babies.
In this paper we're going from birds to words! This exciting new work with @elmlingersteven.bsky.social represents a significant extension of the research on human and avian vocal learning in my lab.
1/11 Animals often communicate in phrases with sequential structure. Infant vocal learners, however, are often studied one note or syllable at a time. What are the origins of vocal sequences in animals that learn vocal communication? Find out in our new paper spanning songbirds and human infants! 🧵
The social origins of vocal sequences in songbirds and human infants
Abstract. From birdsong to human language, acoustic communication by vocal learners involves the concatenation of sounds into sequences. Sequences are more
royalsocietypublishing.org
February 6, 2026 at 1:47 PM
In this paper we're going from birds to words! This exciting new work with @elmlingersteven.bsky.social represents a significant extension of the research on human and avian vocal learning in my lab.
Timing matters for learning. However, contingency has long been associated with a narrow view of how learning works. In this special issue, we freed contingency of its Skinnerian roots to examine its role in prediction and social learning across species and timescales. The issue is open access!
A new theme issue of #PhilTransB examines the mechanisms of learning from social interaction. Read articles for free: buff.ly/K8v43YM
February 6, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Timing matters for learning. However, contingency has long been associated with a narrow view of how learning works. In this special issue, we freed contingency of its Skinnerian roots to examine its role in prediction and social learning across species and timescales. The issue is open access!
Reposted by Michael Goldstein
The first-ever GRC on Social Behaviors is coming up in March! Looking forward to a great meeting, please RT!
www.grc.org/the-neurosci...
www.grc.org/the-neurosci...
2026 The Neuroscience of Social Behaviors Conference GRC
The 2026 Gordon Research Conference on The Neuroscience of Social Behaviors will be held in Pomona, California. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
January 20, 2026 at 4:38 PM
The first-ever GRC on Social Behaviors is coming up in March! Looking forward to a great meeting, please RT!
www.grc.org/the-neurosci...
www.grc.org/the-neurosci...
Reposted by Michael Goldstein
The GRFP lives!! (due end of October)
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
September 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The GRFP lives!! (due end of October)
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Reposted by Michael Goldstein
New preprint from a bio-psych collab
many animals have preferences for sounds in their species (eg, I'm a frog, I like deeper frog croaks bc better frog mates sound deeper)
@loganjames.bsky.social tested if humans are sensitive to these prefs in 16 species
we are!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
many animals have preferences for sounds in their species (eg, I'm a frog, I like deeper frog croaks bc better frog mates sound deeper)
@loganjames.bsky.social tested if humans are sensitive to these prefs in 16 species
we are!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 27, 2025 at 7:40 PM
New preprint from a bio-psych collab
many animals have preferences for sounds in their species (eg, I'm a frog, I like deeper frog croaks bc better frog mates sound deeper)
@loganjames.bsky.social tested if humans are sensitive to these prefs in 16 species
we are!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
many animals have preferences for sounds in their species (eg, I'm a frog, I like deeper frog croaks bc better frog mates sound deeper)
@loganjames.bsky.social tested if humans are sensitive to these prefs in 16 species
we are!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Michael Goldstein
I am please to share my latest article "A developmentalist’s view of inheritance", just published in acta ethologica.
rdcu.be/em4wW
Inheritance is a time-distributed developmental process by which diverse developmental resources become available to the next generation.
rdcu.be/em4wW
Inheritance is a time-distributed developmental process by which diverse developmental resources become available to the next generation.
May 22, 2025 at 11:54 AM
I am please to share my latest article "A developmentalist’s view of inheritance", just published in acta ethologica.
rdcu.be/em4wW
Inheritance is a time-distributed developmental process by which diverse developmental resources become available to the next generation.
rdcu.be/em4wW
Inheritance is a time-distributed developmental process by which diverse developmental resources become available to the next generation.
Having a great time running a STEM outreach event at the Sciencenter featuring a sailplane and flight simulator from Harris Hill Soaring Corporation! Sparking curiosity about science in kids is a great way to stay sane in this crazy world.
April 12, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Having a great time running a STEM outreach event at the Sciencenter featuring a sailplane and flight simulator from Harris Hill Soaring Corporation! Sparking curiosity about science in kids is a great way to stay sane in this crazy world.
Reposted by Michael Goldstein
Babies learn best from those who respond to their babbling! 👶✨ @juliaavenditti.bsky.social, @mikehgoldstein.bsky.social et al. (2025): infants form stronger social expectations when their babbling gets a timely response—even from a robot car! 🤖🚗 #infancypapers #EarlyYears doi.org/10.1111/infa...
Contingency enables the formation of social expectations about an artificial agent
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doi.org
March 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Babies learn best from those who respond to their babbling! 👶✨ @juliaavenditti.bsky.social, @mikehgoldstein.bsky.social et al. (2025): infants form stronger social expectations when their babbling gets a timely response—even from a robot car! 🤖🚗 #infancypapers #EarlyYears doi.org/10.1111/infa...
Our new theory paper in Acta Psychologica shows that babies change how we see the world! In our lab, we use virtual environments to study parenting. We are finding that babies actively reshape our perception in ways that help protect them. Read more at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 21, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Our new theory paper in Acta Psychologica shows that babies change how we see the world! In our lab, we use virtual environments to study parenting. We are finding that babies actively reshape our perception in ways that help protect them. Read more at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Michael Goldstein
How do languages become learnable for young children? Our new paper in Current Biology shows how “Immature vocalizations elicit simplified adult speech across multiple languages.” 🧵 of our findings below: www.cell.com/current-biol... 1/9
Immature vocalizations elicit simplified adult speech across multiple languages
Altriciality, or extended early immaturity, creates opportunities for learning. Across
languages, Elmlinger et al. show that parents simplify their speech in response to
children’s early vocalizations...
www.cell.com
February 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM
How do languages become learnable for young children? Our new paper in Current Biology shows how “Immature vocalizations elicit simplified adult speech across multiple languages.” 🧵 of our findings below: www.cell.com/current-biol... 1/9