Modality-Specific Perceptual Learning of Vocoded Auditory versus Lipread Speech: Different Effects of Prior Information

Traditionally, speech perception training paradigms have not adequately taken into account the possibility that there may be modality-specific requirements for perceptual learning with auditory-only (AO) versus visual-only (VO) stimuli. The study reported here investigated hypothesis are differences in how prior information is used by normal-hearing participants during vocoded VO training. Two different experiments, one AO (Experiment 1) and VO, lipread, 2), effects of giving types to trainees on each trial was four ~20 min sessions, which learned label novel visual images using spoken words. Participants were assigned training: Word Group saw a printed version word (e.g., “tethon”), Consonant only its consonants “t_th_n”). Additional groups received no (i.e., Experiment 1, Group; 2, Group) or stimulus modality from stimuli Lipread Vocoder Group). That is, experiment, group other experiment. In both Groups had difficulty retaining words they attempted learn However, when vocoded, improved their phoneme identification. When speech, identification open-set sentence lipreading. results considered light theoretical accounts relationship modality.