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The speech focus position effect on jaw-finger coordination in a pointing task.
Amélie Rochet-Capellan1, Rafael Laboissière, Arturo Galván
1GIPSA Laboratory, Department of Speech and Cognition, Grenoble, France. amelie@motion.psych.mcgill.ca
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR
|August 13, 2008
Summary
This study reveals tight jaw-finger coordination during speech and pointing. The stressed syllable anchors to the pointing gesture, demonstrating a link between vocalization and deictic gestures.
Area of Science:
- Speech motor control
- Gesture and speech integration
- Human motor coordination
Background:
- Jaw-finger coordination is crucial for integrated speech and gesture production.
- Understanding how speech elements like stress align with motor actions is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate jaw-finger coordination during target naming with CVCV vs. CVCV words.
- Test the hypothesis that pointing apex synchronizes with jaw-opening apex during stressed syllables.
Main Methods:
- Recorded jaw and finger movements using Optotrak.
- Analyzed effects of stress position, target distance, and consonants (/t/ vs. /p/).
- Tested 20 native Portuguese Brazilian speakers across all conditions.
Main Results:
- Jaw response initiated earlier, with a longer finger-target alignment for CVCV words.
- Jaw-opening apex synchronized with finger-target alignment onset (CVCV) or offset (CVCV).
Conclusions:
- Tight finger-jaw coordination ensures stressed syllables fall within the finger-target alignment period.
- This coordination supports the anchoring of speech deictic sites within pointing gestures.
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