Exploring the application of analogy in speech motor performance

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that analogy instruction can be applied effectively in science education and motor skill acquisition; however, little is known about the application of analogy in speech motor performance. In four experiments, analogy instructions were tested in the speech domain. The first experiment (Chapter 2) used focus group methodology to establish a set of analogies that related pitch variation during speech production to a ‘waves at sea’ metaphor. The analogies were then used to elicit speech with different pitch variations. Analogy instructions were more effective than explicit instructions for eliciting speech with minimum pitch variation (i.e., monotonous speech). In the second experiment (Chapter 3), the influence of both analogy and explicit instructions on the perception of speech parameters invoked by maximum pitch variation was examined. Pitch variation in analogy instructed speech was perceived to be greater and more natural than when explicit instructions were provided. In the third experiment (Chapter 4), stress resistance in analogy instructed speech performance was evaluated. Analogy instructed speech performance was demonstrated to be significantly more stable under a psychologically stressful condition than explicitly instructed speech. The last experiment (Chapter 5), investigated the cognitive load of analogy on different components of the working memory system during speech performance. It was found that analogy instructions tended to place more cognitive load on the visual component of working memory than explicit instructions. The findings of the four experiments inform the application of analogy in speech motor skill performance in general, and contribute to understanding the mechanisms that underpin analogy within a working memory framework. The work also has significant potential for application in speech-language pathology treatment.