Psychology Press - Modularity and the Motor Theory of Speech

Explore the foundational debates in speech perception science with this scholarly compilation. This volume contains the proceedings of a conference dedicated to honoring Alvin M. Liberman for his research contributions. It focuses on two major and controversial proposals developed by Liberman and his colleagues at Haskins Laboratories over the last 35 years. Readers will examine the theory that articulatory gestures serve as the primary units for both speech production and speech perception. Additionally, the text investigates the idea that speech production and perception function through a special mechanism rather than standard cognitive processes. This book provides a deep look into the implications of these theories for the field of psychology and linguistics.