Abstract
Motor resonance processes are involved both in language comprehension and in affect perception. Therefore we predict that listeners understand spoken affective words slower, if the phonetic form of a word is incongruent with its affective meaning. A language comprehension study involving an interference paradigm confirmed this prediction. This interference suggests that affective phonetic cues contribute to language comprehension. A perceived smile or frown affects the listener, and hearing an incongruent smile or frown impedes our comprehension of spoken words.
| Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 917-922 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Speech Communication |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Bibliographical note
Highlights► Smiles and frowns may interfere with speech production and comprehension. ► Speech synthesis of words with positive and with negative meaning. ► Formants shifted up or down to simulate smiling and frowning. ► Incongruent smiling or frowning impedes speech comprehension. ► Interference due to motor mimicry of smiling and frowning gestures.
Keywords:
Smiles;
Speech comprehension;
Emotion;
Affect perception