The influence of attentional focus on voice control

Abstract

The present study tested the role of attentional focus on control of voice fundamental frequency (F0). Subjects vocalized an “ah” sound while hearing their voice auditory feedback randomly shifted upwards or downwards in pitch. In the “UP” condition, subjects vocalized, listened for and pressed a button for each upward pitch shift stimulus. In the “DOWN” condition, subjects listened for and pressed a button for each downward shift. In the CONTROL condition, subjects vocalized without paying attention to the stimulus direction or pressing a button. Data were analyzed by averaging voice F0 contours across several trials for each pitch shift stimulus in all conditions. Response magnitudes were larger for the CONTROL than for the UP or DOWN conditions. Responses for the UP and DOWN conditions did not differ. Results suggest that when subjects focus their attention to identify specific stimuli and produce a non-vocal motor response conditional upon the identification, the neural mechanisms involved in voice control are reduced, possibly because of a reduction in the error signal resulting from the comparison of the efference copy of voice output with auditory feedback. Thus, focusing attention away from vocal control reduces neural resources involved in control of voice F0.