LINGUIST List 22.5110 Mon Dec 19 2011 Diss: Neuroling: Hessler: 'Audiovisual Processing in Aphasic and ...' Editor for this issue: Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org> To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm. Directory         1.     Dörte Hessler , Audiovisual Processing in Aphasic and Non-Brain-Damaged Listeners: The whole is more than the sum of its parts Message 1: Audiovisual Processing in Aphasic and Non-Brain-Damaged Listeners: The whole is more than the sum of its parts Date: 19-Dec-2011 From: Dörte Hessler <medoerte.eu> Subject: Audiovisual Processing in Aphasic and Non-Brain-Damaged Listeners: The whole is more than the sum of its parts E-mail this message to a friend Institution: University of Groningen Program: Neurolinguistics Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2011 Author: Dörte A. Hessler Dissertation Title: Audiovisual Processing in Aphasic and Non-Brain-Damaged Listeners: The whole is more than the sum of its parts Dissertation URL: http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/338802789 Linguistic Field(s): Neurolinguistics Dissertation Director: Roelien Bastiaanse Roel Jonkers Dissertation Abstract: Speech perception is a task that is commonly fulfilled without much effort. Only when processing is disturbed, e.g. after a brain damage, we notice its complexity. Dörte Hessler investigates this phenomenon. Not only auditory but also audiovisual processing of speech sounds is addressed. The research firstly showes that individuals with aphasia (a language disorder resulting from brain damage) have more difficulties in recognizing small differences between speech sounds than larger. Speech sounds can differ in the manner of articulation, the place of articulation and the fact whether the vocal cords vibrate. Speech sounds differing in all three ways are easier to recognize than those differing in only one way. The most difficult distinction is found for sounds that differ only with regard to the vibration of the vocal cords (e.g. the difference between p and b). Measurements of brain reactions of listeners without a language disorder complement these findings: the brain waves show a larger reaction when the difference between sounds is small. This is probably due to the additional attention that is necessary to process the small differences. The research project furthermore shows that visual support (speechreading), which has a positive influence on perception, is not limited to clearly visible features of sounds, such as the place of articulation, but also on the manner of articulation and the vocal cord vibrations. Even individuals without brain-damage show an effect of speechreading: their reaction times decrease when they have to choose a target sound. Additionally, also their brain reactions are influenced: auditory and audiovisual input lead to clearly distinctive reaction patterns. Processing is easier when the sound is presented audiovisually. Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue Page Updated: 19-Dec-2011       About LINGUIST    |   Contact Us       While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.