title: Understanding the mechanisms underlying voluntary responses to pitch-shifted auditory feedback.
abstract: Previous research has shown that vocal errors can be simulated using a pitch perturbation technique. Two types of responses are observed when subjects are asked to ignore changes in pitch during a steady vowel production, a compensatory response countering the direction of the perceived change in pitch and a following response in the same direction as the pitch perturbation. The present study investigated the nature of these responses by asking subjects to volitionally change their voice fundamental frequency either in the opposite direction ("opposing" group) or the same direction ("following" group) as the pitch shifts (±100 cents, 1000 ms) presented during the speaker's production of an /a/ vowel. Results showed that voluntary responses that followed the stimulus directions had significantly shorter latencies (150 ms) than opposing responses (360 ms). In addition, prior to the slower voluntary opposing responses, there were short latency involuntary responses that followed the stimulus direction. These following responses may involve mechanisms of imitation or vocal shadowing of acoustical stimuli when subjects are predisposed to respond to a change in frequency of a sound. The slower opposing responses may represent a control strategy that requires monitoring and correcting for errors between the feedback signal and the intended vocal goal.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
authors.forename: Sona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
authors.forename: Anjli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lodhavia
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Korzyukov
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229.
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Larson
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D056228:Feedback, Sensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000502:physiology*; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology*; D010700:Phonetics; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012018:Reflex; D014833:Voice Quality; D014836:Volition; D055815:Young Adult