Psycholinguistics: The Basics of Speech Perception 1.1

Psycholinguistics: Basics of Speech Perception 1.1

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The focus of this exercise is to help you become more familiar with basic concepts and terminology included in the study of Psycholinguistics in the area of speech perception. Answer each question to the best of your ability.

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Question 1

A hearer will rely on the top-down process of perception (decoding) when:

A	the context of the utterance is not clear Hint: A hearer will rely on the top-down process of perception in which larger linguistic units are accessed such as context, when the acoustic, phonetic features, are not clear.
B	semantic features are not specified Hint: A hearer will rely on the top-down process of perception in which larger linguistic units are accessed such as context, when the acoustic, phonetic features, are not clear.
C	the acoustic signal is not clear

Question 2

Which statement is true?

A	Word initial and final mispronunciations are detected with the same accuracy. Hint: Word initial mispronunciations are detected more accurately since we begin decoding input as soon as it is received. Thus the misinterpretation of initial sounds of a word skew perception at the initial stage of perception.
B	Word final mispronunciations are detected more accurately than word initial mispronunciations. Hint: Word initial mispronunciations are detected more accurately since we begin decoding input as soon as it is received. Thus the misinterpretation of initial sounds of a word skew perception at the initial stage of perception.
C	Word initial mispronunciations are detected more accurately than word final mispronunciations.

Question 3

The Fuzzy Logical Model of Perception (FLMP) states all but the following:

A	A listener bases perception on the strength of match between the stimuli perceived and stored prototypes of sounds.
B	All speech sounds belong to a category of which certain members will be stronger than others.
C	When perceiving a mismatch between the stimuli perceived and features of a prototype, we rely on semantic context and syllable structure. Hint: Semantic and syllabic information are not accessed at the phonemic level of perception. The FLMP claims that the boundaries between speech sound categories are 'fuzzy' such that members of any given category can be stronger or weaker than others, or non-existent. Listeners compare the features of a speech signal with the features of other prototypes to see which is the best match with the perceived speech signal.

Question 4

What role does coarticulation have in speech perception?

A	Coarticulation causes less variance in a continuous speech signal rendering perception easier. Hint: Coarticulation does not affect variance. Variability in the speech signal is generally due to speakers' anatomy, background noise, etc. Coarticulation enables a speaker to access the lexicon more quickly due to the fact that the parallel and overlapping segments are fewer in number than single segments, thus reducing the number of possible candidates.
B	Coarticulation requires a slower rate of speech enhancing perception. Hint: Coarticulation increases the speed of sound segment transmission. Coarticulation enables a speaker to access the lexicon more quickly due to the fact that the parallel and overlapping segments are fewer in number than single segments, thus reducing the number of possible candidates.
C	Coarticulation enables a speaker to access the lexicon more quickly.

Question 5

Which of the following is the correct order of levels in the process of speech perception?

A	perceive acoustic signal, select the phonological representation, check for accuracy
B	select the phonological representation, perceive acoustic signal, check for accuracy Hint: The acoustic signal must be heard before a phonological form can be mapped to it, after which the hearer can check for accuracy by referring to context.
C	perceive acoustic signal, check for accuracy, select the phonological representation Hint: The acoustic signal must be heard before a phonological form can be mapped to it, after which the hearer can check for accuracy by referring to context.

Question 6

Linguistic performance can be referred to as the process in which:

A	a hearer performs language more accurately when accessing context such as discourse in order to decode a message Hint: Linguistic performance is the process by which speakers and listeners use what they know about their language in order to transmit messages between themselves.
B	the speaker encodes ideas and the hearer decodes ideas
C	the speaker perceives and produces language more accurately by receiving acoustic signals rather than visual stimuli Hint: Linguistic performance is the process by which speakers and listeners use what they know about their language in order to transmit messages between themselves.

Question 7

The component of the brain that stores information thus enabling a speaker to link sound segments with meaning is referred to as:

A	the lexicon
B	the semantic network Hint: The semantic network is a model of how words are linked on the basis of semantic features. The lexicon is where phonological forms are mapped to meaning as words, or lexical items.
C	Broca's area Hint: Broca's area is mostly linked to the task of speech production thus recall versus perception. The lexicon is where phonological forms are mapped to meaning as words, or lexical items.

Question 8

Which is true concerning the Segmentation Problem?

A	Syllabic boundaries rarely become confused across phrasal boundaries. Hint: Incoming information is sometimes rendered ambiguous by the re-syllabification of words across word/phrasal boundaries.
B	Sounds segments may become confused across word boundaries.
C	Certain semantic features are lost in natural speech. Hint: The Segmentaion problem describes the fact that incoming information is sometimes rendered ambiguous by the re-syllabification of words across word/phrasal boundaries. It does not address semantic features.

Question 9

What is the correlation between a speaker’s linguistic competence and categorical perception?

A	That which a speaker knows about his/her language (linguistic competence) can be observed by how s/he categorizes or maps foreign sounds to those already existing in the native phonemic inventory. Hint: Linguistic competence refers to that which a speaker knows about his/her own language. A listener may perceive a non-native sound as a variant of one that is native, however if the sound does not exist in one's language, there will be no category to which it may belong.
B	The knowledge that a speaker possesses concerning his/her phonemic inventory will account for and regulate the categories s/he perceives when perceiving speech sounds.
C	Linguistic competence accounts for how speakers distinguish between sounds that exist in their phonemic inventory and allophonic variations. Hint: Allophones are surface forms of sounds of which speakers are not aware during articulation thus they will not perceived as belonging to a distinct category.

Question 10

In Phoneme Restoration studies, it has been observed that:

A	Phoneme restoration occurs at a higher RT when input is received through the right ear. Hint: In dichotic listening tasks, in which a phoneme is replaced with silence in one ear and background noise in the other, listeners reported hearing the same sound signals in both ear.
B	Phoneme restoration occurs more rapidly when noise is substituted for the missing phoneme.
C	Phoneme restoration occurs more rapidly when context is provided, regardless of whether or not noise is substituted for the missing phoneme. Hint: Although context does aid in phoneme restoration, the presence of noise is the primary source of information the brain accesses since this acts as a 'filler' for the missing phoneme.

Question 11

Select the term that best describes that which a speaker knows about his/her language in terms of language –specific constraints, parameters for usage, and the lexicon.

A	Linguistic performance Hint: Linguistic performance refers to how one uses linguistic knowledge (competence) while 'doing' language. All that humans know about their language is referred to as linguistic competence.
B	Linguistic competence
C	Biological function of language Hint: This phrase refers to the fact that the capacity to do language is unique to humans and that all are born with a biological system for language. All that humans know about their language is referred to as linguistic competence.

Question 12

Which term best describes the process of using phonetic features such as voicing and manner of articulation during the process of speech perception?

A	the McGurk Effect Hint: The bottom-up process of speech perception accesses the smallest linguistic units, such as features. The McGurk Effect accounts for the fact that speech perception is a bimodal process, using both visual and audio input.
B	top-down Hint: The bottom-up process of speech perception accesses the smallest linguistic units, such as features. Top down processing describes the process by which a listener uses larger chunks of linguistic information in perception such as context.
C	bottom-up

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Psycholinguistics: Basics of Speech Perception 1.1

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