Abstract

Is the neurally perceived distance from [d] to [t] different from the one from [t] to [d]? To address this question we investigated the mismatch response (MMR) both directional contrasts. The MMR has been shown to be an index of the brain’s auditory change detection. We therefore hypothesized that any potential directional difference in the contrasts would be detectable as a difference in MMRs.
The stimuli consisted of the four Danish syllables: [tæ] and [dæ] (meaning ‘take’ and ‘then’, respectively), and [æt] and [æd] (both meaning ‘that’). We used MEG (magnetoencephalography) to measure participants’ (n = 17) mismatch fields (magnetic equivalent of the MMR). We found a main effect of contrast direction (pFWE=0.001 at the cluster-level), peaking around 124 ms after deviance onset. Contrast estimates revealed that this main effect was driven by stronger MMRs to both [tæ] and [æt] than to [dæ] and [æd].
Participants’ brains thus seem to experience the perceptual distance from [d] to [t] as larger than that from [t] to [d], despite the acoustic difference being the same for both contrasts. We discuss this finding in relation to previous studies on asymmetries in speech perception, as well as behavioral results on detection of the contrasts.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
Publikationsdato18 sep. 2014
Antal sider22
StatusUdgivet - 18 sep. 2014
BegivenhedBias in Auditory Perception - Interacting Minds Centre, Aarhus, Danmark
Varighed: 18 sep. 201420 sep. 2014

Konference

KonferenceBias in Auditory Perception
LokationInteracting Minds Centre
Land/OmrådeDanmark
ByAarhus
Periode18/09/201420/09/2014

Fingeraftryk

Dyk ned i forskningsemnerne om '"TA-DA!": Directional asymmetry in the brain's perception of speech sounds:an MMR study of [t] vs. [d]'. Sammen danner de et unikt fingeraftryk.

Citationsformater