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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
06:34
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
Narrowing of intersensory speech perception in infancy
Ferran Pons1, David J Lewkowicz, Salvador Soto-Faraco
1Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Universitat de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
Summary
Infant sensitivity to non-native speech narrows as they learn their native language. This perceptual narrowing process tunes babies to crucial native language audiovisual cues.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Speech Perception
Background:
- Infant perceptual development is often viewed as incremental acquisition.
- However, sensitivity to non-native stimuli (language, faces, music) declines with age.
- This decline, termed perceptual narrowing, is key in native language phonological acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate perceptual narrowing in infant responses to multisensory speech.
- To determine if this narrowing applies to audiovisual speech perception.
Main Methods:
- Studied infant intersensory speech perception.
- Measured infant response to a non-native phonetic contrast at 6 and 11 months.
Main Results:
- Infant intersensory response to a non-native phonetic contrast narrowed significantly between 6 and 11 months.
- This suggests tuning to native-language audiovisual correspondences.
Conclusions:
- Perceptual narrowing occurs in multisensory speech perception.
- This developmental process is domain-general and affects multiple senses.
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