Individual variability in auditory feedback processing: Responses to real-time formant perturbations and their...

Area of Science:

• Speech Science
• Auditory Perception
• Motor Control

Background:

• Understanding individual variability in speech perception and production is crucial.
• Previous research has not extensively examined both perceptual and production variability within the same individuals.
• Individual differences in auditory feedback processing remain an area for further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate between-subject and within-subject variability in speech perception and production.
• To determine if perceptual acuity predicts compensatory responses in speech production.
• To explore the relationship between speech production variability, vowel spacing, and auditory feedback processing.

Main Methods:

• Auditory discrimination task (ABX) to assess perceptual acuity on a /ɛ/ to /æ/ continuum.
• Speech production task with auditory feedback perturbations of F1 and F2, repeating the word 'head'.
• Multiple regression analyses to link perceptual acuity and production variability to compensatory behavior.

Main Results:

• Perceptual acuity significantly predicted formant changes in F1 during auditory feedback perturbations.
• Perceptual acuity did not significantly predict formant changes in F2.
• Individual differences in compensatory behavior were analyzed in relation to perceptual and production variability.

Conclusions:

• Perceptual acuity plays a role in modulating F1 changes during speech production feedback.
• The findings underscore the need for larger sample sizes and individualized methods in speech research.
• Variability in speech motor control may have a positive functional role.