Abstract
Although having a long history of scrutiny in experimental psychology, it is still controversial whether wilful inner speech (covert speech) production is accompanied by specific activity in speech muscles. We present the results of a preregistered experiment looking at the electromyographic correlates of both overt speech and inner speech production of two phonetic classes of nonwords. An automatic classification approach was undertaken to discriminate between two articulatory features contained in nonwords uttered in both overt and covert speech. Although this approach led to reasonable accuracy rates during overt speech production, it failed to discriminate inner speech phonetic content based on surface electromyography signals. However, exploratory analyses conducted at the individual level revealed that it seemed possible to distinguish between rounded and spread nonwords covertly produced, in two participants. We discuss these results in relation to the existing literature and suggest alternative ways of testing the engagement of the speech motor system during wilful inner speech production.
Highlights
As you read these words, you may be experiencing the presence of a familiar speechlike companion
The data we collected during overt speech production do not corroborate the hypothesis according to which the average EMG amplitude of the orbicularis oris inferior (OOI) should be higher during the production of “rounded”
0.539 0.556 nonwords as compared to “spread” nonwords. For both orofacial speech muscles (OOI and zygomaticus major (ZYG)), the average EMG amplitude was higher for rounded nonwords than for spread nonwords during overt speech production
Summary
As you read these words, you may be experiencing the presence of a familiar speechlike companion This internal speech production may accompany daily activities such as reading (see [1,2,3,4], but see [5, 6]), writing ([7]), memorising ([8, 9]), future planning [8], problem solving [9, 10] or musing (for reviews see [11,12,13,14]). The simple fact that we can make sensory judgements about our inner speech tautologically reveals that inner speech is accompanied by sensory percepts (e.g., speech sounds, kinaesthetic feelings).
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