PSY 368 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Vocal Tract, Speech Perception, Formant
12 May 2019
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Acoustic stimulus (acoustic signal) - patterns of pressure changes in the air produced by the position or the movement of structures within the vocal apparatus. The acoustic signal is usually created by air that is pushed up from the lungs past the vocal cords and into the vocal tract. The sound that is produced depends on the shape of the vocal tract as air is pushed through it. The shape of the vocal tract is altered by moving the articulators, which include structures such as the tongue, lips, teeth, jaw, and soft palate. This change in shape changes the resonant frequency of the vocal tract and produces peaks of pressure at a number of different frequencies. The frequencies at which these peaks occur are called formants. Each vowel sound has a characteristic series of formants. The first formant has the lowest frequency; the second formant is the next highest; etc.
