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Automatic imitation of human and computer-generated vocal stimuli
Hannah Wilt1, Yuchunzi Wu2,3, Antony Trotter4
1Department of Speech, Hearing and Phonetic Sciences, University College London, London, WC1N 1PF, UK.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|November 28, 2022
Summary
Computer-generated speech evokes automatic imitation similar to human speech, challenging theories that predict greater imitation for human actions. This finding suggests shared neural processing for both human and artificial vocal stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psycholinguistics
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Observing actions activates neural areas for action execution, a phenomenon known as automatic imitation.
- The stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) task measures automatic imitation by comparing response times to compatible and incompatible action-distractor pairings.
- Previous research indicated human-produced actions elicit stronger automatic imitation than computer-generated actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether human-generated speech stimuli elicit greater automatic imitation than computer-generated speech stimuli.
- To test predictions from the integrated theory of language comprehension and production regarding action similarity and imitation.
- To examine the covert imitation response to different sources of vocal stimuli.
Main Methods:
- An online stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) task was employed.
- Participants were presented with both human-generated and computer-generated speech stimuli.
- Automatic imitation was quantified by analyzing differences in response times and accuracy between compatible and incompatible trials.
Main Results:
- Participants exhibited a significant automatic imitation effect, responding faster to compatible than incompatible trials.
- The magnitude of the automatic imitation effect was comparable for both human-generated and computer-generated speech stimuli.
- No significant difference in automatic imitation was observed between human and computer-generated vocal stimuli.
Conclusions:
- Computer-generated speech stimuli elicit automatic imitation to a similar extent as human speech stimuli.
- The findings reject the prediction that greater similarity (human vs. computer) influences the automatic imitation effect in speech perception.
- Automatic imitation mechanisms may not differentiate between human and computer-generated vocal actions, suggesting broader simulation processes.
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