Prediction of Visual Feedback Gain in Altered Auditory Feedback Tasks Using Computational Modeling
New York University
Summary
This study examines whether individual differences in how speakers respond to hearing versus physical sensation during speech can predict who benefits most from visual feedback during a speech task. Healthy adults will complete a series of tasks in which auditory feedback is altered in real time through headphones, with and without an added visual display of the speech signal. A computational model will be used to estimate how strongly each participant relies on hearing versus physical sensation when monitoring speech. The study will then test whether this individual profile predicts how much the visual display improves each participant's ability to respond to the altered feedback.
Description
During speech, the brain relies on multiple sources of feedback, including auditory input and physical sensations from the tongue and lips, to monitor and adjust speech in real time. People differ in how much they rely on each of these feedback sources, and these individual differences may predict who benefits most from different types of technological support for speech learning. This study examines whether a computational model of individual response to sensory feedback can predict how much a person benefits from the addition of real-time visual feedback during a speech task. Participants w…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 to 45 years * Self-reported English as dominant or equally dominant language (learned English by age 3) * No self-reported history of significant speech, language, or hearing difficulty * Pass pure-tone hearing screening at 25 dB HL * Pass qualitative screening of speech, voice, and resonance based on connected speech sample Exclusion Criteria: * Learned English after age 3 * English is not a dominant language * History of speech or language disorder, hearing loss, or neurodevelopmental disorder (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome) * Failure to pass p…
Interventions
- BehavioralAltered Auditory Feedback (AAF)
Participants produce speech while hearing real-time altered auditory feedback delivered through headphones. Two task variants are administered: a fast-adapt design in which the altered feedback is introduced and withdrawn repeatedly, and a standard adaptive design in which the altered feedback is introduced once and maintained for an extended run. Administered to all participants as the baseline condition.
- BehavioralVisual-Acoustic Biofeedback
Participants perform the standard adaptive auditory feedback task with the addition of real-time visual display. The visual display presents the altered auditory signal alongside a visual target derived from the participant's baseline production. Administered to all participants following the auditory-only baseline phase.
Location
- New York UniversityNew York, New York