The mean matters: Effects of statistically defined nonspeech spectral distributions on speech categorization

Holt, Lori L.

doi:10.1121/1.2354071

Cited by 103 publications

(152 citation statements)

References 56 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

136

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Importantly, the effect of context was stronger if it was long (i.e., the full context) than if it was truncated. Listeners thus not only use various types of distal phonetic context information (i.e., spectral information (Holt, 2005); rhythmic information (Dilley & McAuley, 2008), speaking rate here) but the amount of this distal context modulates the strength of the effect (see also Holt, 2006, for effects of amount of spectral context information). In categorization tasks, listeners thus appear to be able to use all previous information, resulting in a cumulative effect of distal context.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speaking rate from proximal and distal contexts is used during word segmentation.

Reinisch

Jesse

McQueen

2011

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Perfor

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A series of eye-tracking and categorization experiments investigated the use of speaking-rate information in the segmentation of Dutch ambiguous-word sequences. Juncture phonemes with ambiguous durations (e.g., [s] in 'eens (s)peer,' "once (s)pear," [t] in 'nooit (t)rap,' "never staircase/quick") were perceived as longer and hence more often as word-initial when following a fast than a slow context sentence. Listeners used speaking-rate information as soon as it became available. Rate information from a context proximal to the juncture phoneme and from a more distal context was used during on-line word recognition, as reflected in listeners' eye movements. Stronger effects of distal context, however, were observed in the categorization task, which measures the off-line results of the word-recognition process. In categorization, the amount of rate context had the greatest influence on the use of rate information, but in eye tracking, the rate information's proximal location was the most important. These findings constrain accounts of how speaking rate modulates the interpretation of durational cues during word recognition by suggesting that rate estimates are used to evaluate upcoming phonetic information continuously during prelexical speech processing.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speaking rate from proximal and distal contexts is used during word segmentation.

Reinisch

Jesse

McQueen

2011

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Perfor

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A number of studies have found that nonspeech contexts matched with speech contexts in the long-term average spectrum elicit similar normalization effects as speech contexts do (Huang & Holt, 2009;Holt et al, 1996;Holt, 2005Holt, , 2006aHolt, , 2006bLotto & Kluender, 1998;Lotto, Sullivan, & Holt, 2003;Watkins, 1991;Watkins & Makin, 1996) or even stronger effects sometimes (e.g., Laing et al, 2012). Because nonspeech contexts only contain auditory cues, it is argued that listeners rely on a general auditory mechanism in talker normalization, rather than a talker's acoustic-phonological space built from the context.…”

Section: Extrinsic Normalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward an integrative model of talker normalization.

Zhang¹,

Chen²

2016

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Perfor

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Successful speech perception requires accurate mapping of speech signals to linguistic categories despite talker variation in signals. Although factors like intrinsic and context cues have been identified, a full understanding of talker normalization remains to be achieved. In particular, it is important to examine the cocontribution of intrinsic, extrinsic and other cues in an integrative way. In Experiment 1, we examined the effect of intrinsic cues and typicality of a talker’s F0 range relative to population F0 range on word identification in isolation. In Experiment 2, we compared the effects of 4 contexts to identify those that consistently facilitate talker normalization. We found that without contexts, word identification accuracy was low and variable depending on talker typicality. Contexts improved performance across all talkers regardless of typicality. But only meaningless and meaningful speech contexts with cues to a talker’s acoustic-phonological space showed consistent effects. We proposed a new model, integrating talker typicality, talker familiarity, and context. Whereas speech signals from familiar or typical talkers may be accurately identified standing alone, a context with cues to a talker’s acoustic-phonological space is necessary in the case of unfamiliar and atypical talkers. It is thus the first model that integrates memory and context effects.

show abstract

“…2C). A series of follow-up experiments suggested that the auditory system maintains a running estimate of context and encodes incoming sound targets relative to that estimate (Holt, 2006). This running estimate lasts more than a second and is not disrupted by intervening neutral-frequency tones, noise, or silence.…”

Section: Phonetic Context Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speech Perception Within an Auditory Cognitive Science Framework

Holt

Lotto

2008

Curr Dir Psychol Sci

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The complexities of the acoustic speech signal pose many significant challenges for listeners. Although perceiving speech begins with auditory processing, investigation of speech perception has progressed mostly independently of study of the auditory system. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that cross-fertilization between the two areas of research can be productive. We briefly describe research bridging the study of general auditory processing and speech perception, showing that the latter is constrained and influenced by operating characteristics of the auditory system and that our understanding of the processes involved in speech perception is enhanced by study within a more general framework. The disconnect between the two areas of research has stunted the development of a truly interdisciplinary science, but there is an opportunity for great strides in understanding with the development of an integrated field of auditory cognitive science.Keywords speech perception; auditory perception; auditory cognitive scienceThe ease with which a listener perceives speech in his or her native language belies the complexity of the task. A spoken word exists as a fleeting fluctuation of air molecules for a mere fraction of a second, but listeners are usually able to extract the intended message. The seemingly trivial ability to determine that the spoken words dean, den, dune, and dawn begin with the same English consonant, /d/, is actually a remarkable accomplishment. There are a number of physical acoustic characteristics associated with the production of /d/, and they unfold quickly across just tens of milliseconds. These acoustic correlates vary with the following vowel (such that the initial sound in dean is distinct from that of dune) and the preceding word context, as well as with the dialect, gender, emotional state, and physical stature of the speaker. To make matters more challenging, the particular acoustic correlates utilized by a listener depend on that listener's native language and expectations. Invariant perception ("these are all /d/s") in the face of variable acoustic signals has been one of the central puzzles in the study of speech perception for more than 50 years.Presumably, understanding how the auditory system processes complex sounds can be informative about how speech perception is accomplished; and, likewise, investigation of speech perception can provide clues to how the auditory system functions. Unfortunately,

show abstract

The mean matters: Effects of statistically defined nonspeech spectral distributions on speech categorization

Cited by 103 publications

References 56 publications

Speaking rate from proximal and distal contexts is used during word segmentation.

Speaking rate from proximal and distal contexts is used during word segmentation.

Toward an integrative model of talker normalization.

Speech Perception Within an Auditory Cognitive Science Framework

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About