Work Package 3: Phonetic convergence and sensori-motor integration

Phonetic convergence refers to the tendency shown by a given speaker to imitate a number of phonetic characteristics in another speaker's speech. Such a behavioral tendency necessarily involves complex sensorymotor integrations that allow speakers to compare the phonetic characteristics of the utterances they hear with that of the utterances they produce. However, little is known on how these sensory-to-motor and motor-to-sensory links may act together. The goal of the research conducted in this section is to explore the dynamics and direction of possible mutual auditory and motor adjustments during different experimental tasks that involve both perception and production of speech, as well as their neuronal correlates using functional magnetic resonance imaging.