Feel What You Say: An Auditory-Tactile Effect
2011

Auditory Effects on Touch Perception During Speech

Sample size: 32 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): François Champoux, Douglas M. Shiller, Robert J. Zatorre, Kiebel Stefan J.

Primary Institution: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain/Institut Raymond-Dewar, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Hypothesis

Does auditory feedback during speech production influence tactile perception?

Conclusion

The study found that amplitude modulation of auditory feedback during speech production increases tactile sensation in the lips and throat.

Supporting Evidence

  • Participants reported increased tactile sensation when auditory feedback was amplitude modulated during speech.
  • Frequency modulation did not produce a significant change in tactile perception.
  • The effect was specific to voiced sounds and did not occur with unvoiced fricatives.

Takeaway

When people talk, the sounds they hear can change how they feel vibrations on their lips and throat, especially when the sound gets louder.

Methodology

Thirty-two healthy French-speaking individuals participated in experiments where they produced speech sounds while their auditory feedback was manipulated.

Potential Biases

Potential bias from directing attention to specific tactile regions during the tasks.

Limitations

The study focused only on specific phonemes and may not generalize to all speech sounds.

Participant Demographics

32 French-speaking healthy individuals (18 females, 14 males; mean age: 25)

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0022829

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