Limitations in processing resources and speech monitoring

Abstract

The present study examined effects of limitations in processing resources on error detection in self-produced and other-produced speech by means of a dual task paradigm. It has been suggested that error detection proceeds through perception, referred to as perceptual loop monitoring. As perceptual loop monitoring is an attentional function, it can be regarded as resource limited. In Experiment 1, subjects produced descriptions of visually presented networks, with and without simultaneously generating random sequences of finger taps. In Experiment 2, subjects detected errors in the speech of others, also with and without random generation. In both experiments a small percentage of errors was intercepted in the dual task situation, which suggest that monitoring is indeed resource limited. However, in the dual task condition of Experiment 1 errors were interrupted earlier, whereas in Experiment 2 the error detection time was delayed. The earlier interruptions in Experiment 1 could be the result of a shift to the prearticulatory monitoring channel.