Linguistic category structure influences early auditory processing: Converging evidence from mismatch responses and cortical oscillations.

ABSTRACT: While previous research has established that language-specific knowledge influences early auditory processing, it is still controversial as to what aspects of speech sound representations determine early speech perception. Here, we propose that early processing primarily depends on information propagated top-down from abstractly represented speech sound categories. In particular, we assume that mid-vowels (as in 'bet') exert less top-down effects than the high-vowels (as in 'bit') because of their less specific (default) tongue height position as compared to either high- or low-vowels (as in 'bat'). We tested this assumption in a magnetoencephalography (MEG) study where we contrasted mid- and high-vowels, as well as the low- and high-vowels in a passive oddball paradigm. Overall, significa

SUBMITTER: Scharinger M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4762739 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature