Detection of speech errors in the speech of others: an ERP study

The current event-related brain potential study examined the processing of observed speech errors. Participants were asked to detect errors in the speech of others while listening to the description of a visual network. Networks consisted of colored drawings of objects connected by straight or curved lines. We investigated the processing of two types of errors in the network descriptions, i.e., incorrect color and errors in determiners usage (gender agreement violations). In the 100- to 300-ms and 300- to 550-ms time windows, we found larger PMN and N400 amplitudes for both color and determiner error trials compared to correct trials. Furthermore, color but not determiner errors led to larger P600 amplitudes compared to correct color trials. Color errors also showed enhanced P600 amplitudes compared to determiner errors. Taken together, processing erroneous network descriptions elicits different brain potentials than listening to the corresponding correct utterances. Hence, speech is monitored for errors not only during speech production but also during listening to the naturally occurring speech of others.