Speech perception within a biologically realistic information-theoretic framework.
Keith R. Kluender · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 2008
Fundamental principles that govern all perception, from hair cell to cortex, are shaping our understanding of the perception of speech and other familiar sounds. Following modest presentation of historical and philosophical background, I will explain how ecological and sensorineural considerations encourage an information theoretical approach to speech perception. Information theory and biology of sensorineural systems are emphasized in explanations of classic characteristics of speech perception, including perceptual resilience in the face of degradation, signal variability, segmentation, and categorical perception. Experimental findings will be used to illustrate how a series of like processes operate on the acoustic signal with increasing levels of sophistication on the way from wave forms to words. Common to these processes are ways that perceptual systems absorb predictable characteristics of the soundscape, from temporally local to extended periods (learning), and new information (change) is enhanced. [Work supported by NIDCD.]