Final answer:
Leonard Mlodinow suggests that pattern recognition is the reason why we are able to better assign meaning to a backward song once given context, as it allows our brains to match unfamiliar sounds with known patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Leonard Mlodinow, the ability to better assign meaning to a backward song once given context (Checkerboard) is best explained by pattern recognition. This concept falls under the broader category of cognitive processes in psychology, particularly in the study of memory and information encoding. Pattern recognition refers to our cognitive ability to detect and interpret patterns in sensory input, which allows us to understand and predict the environment based on previous experiences.
When we are presented with a song played backward, it is a jumbled array of sounds that lacks meaning for us. However, once we are given context, our brains use pattern recognition to match these sounds with familiar patterns (such as words), and we can then assign meaning to them. This is different from auditory processing, which relates to how the brain processes sound signals, or semantic encoding, which involves encoding information based on its meaning.
Having context enables our brains to utilize existing knowledge to make sense of new information, fitting it into a recognizable pattern and providing a framework for understanding.