Delayed Auditory Feedback Elicits Specific Patterns of Serial Order Errors in a Paced Syllable Sequence Production...

Area of Science:

• Speech Production and Perception
• Auditory Feedback Mechanisms
• Speech Motor Control

Background:

• Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) is known to disrupt speech output, leading to distortions and disfluencies.
• Previous research on DAF-induced speech errors is limited by small sample sizes and uncontrolled variables, obscuring specific error patterns.
• Understanding DAF's precise impact on serial order errors is crucial for refining models of speech planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically characterize the types of serial order speech errors elicited by DAF.
• To investigate error patterns in a controlled syllable sequence production task.
• To analyze the influence of varying DAF delay durations on speech error types and timing.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen adults repeatedly produced CVCVCV sequences under DAF conditions (0-250 ms delays).
• Speech recordings were transcribed, and errors were classified based on established slip-of-the-tongue literature.
• Mixed-effects models analyzed the effects of DAF delay on error types, error timing, and speech rate.

Main Results:

• DAF significantly increased overall speech error rates at delays of 100 ms and above.
• Vowel/syllable repetitions, vowel exchanges/omissions, onset disfluencies, and distortions were significantly affected by DAF.
• Vowel and syllable repetitions emerged as the dominant serial order error types under DAF; errors occurred earlier with longer delays.

Conclusions:

• DAF elicits a distinct pattern of serial order speech errors, primarily characterized by repetitions.
• The prevalence of repetition errors suggests DAF influences speech planning representations.
• Findings align with and inform the GODIVA model of speech planning and production.