The consistency of categorization-consistency in speech perception

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Auditory Perception
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Individual differences in speech categorization are typically measured by the mean slope of response functions using the visual analog scaling (VAS) task.
• Recent research indicates that categorization consistency (trial-by-trial variability) may be a stronger predictor of real-world outcomes than the mean slope.
• The stability and trait-like nature of these VAS indices in speech perception remain uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the stability and trait-like nature of visual analog scaling (VAS) indices for speech categorization.
• To analyze VAS responses across various speech continua to assess reliability.
• To examine potential associations between speech categorization differences and broader cognitive factors.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-eight American English-speaking adults participated in the study.
• Participants completed the visual analog scaling (VAS) task for speech categorization.
• Questionnaires assessing autistic traits, anxiety, and impulsivity were administered alongside the VAS task.

Main Results:

• Categorization consistency demonstrated stronger correlations across different speech continuum types compared to the categorization slope.
• No significant correlations were found between VAS indices and broader cognitive factors like autistic traits, anxiety, or impulsivity.
• Categorization consistency emerged as a more stable individual property than the mean categorization slope.

Conclusions:

• Categorization consistency is a more stable and reliable measure of individual differences in speech perception than the mean slope.
• Speech categorization consistency is not influenced by broader cognitive factors, suggesting it is a distinct perceptual trait.
• Listener consistency in speech categorization offers a more accurate characterization of individual differences in auditory perception.