Neurocomputational Models of Voice and Speech Perception

Abstract

This chapter outlines a comprehensive neurocomputational model of voice and speech perception based on (i) already established computational models, as well as on (ii) neurophysiological data of the underlying neural processes. Neurocomputational models of speech perception comprise auditory as well as cognitive modules, in order to extract sound features as well as linguistic information (linguistic content). A model of voice and speech perception in addition needs to process paralinguistic information like gender, age, emotional or affective state of speaker, etc. It is argued here that modules of a neurocomputational model of voice and speech perception need to interact with modules which go beyond unimodal auditory processing because, for example, processing of paralinguistic information is closely related to such as visual facial perception. Thus, this chapter describes neural modelling of voice and speech perception in relation to general communication and social-interaction processes, which makes it necessary to develop a hypermodal processing approach.