Dynamic auditory representations and phonetic processing: the case of virtual diphthongs

Auditory spectral integration in the perception of dynamic acoustic cues in speech was examined experimentally. The potential role of a dynamically changing center of gravity in the perception of diphthongs /ui/ (as in we) and /iu/ (as n you) was verified. Listeners identified the effective frequency changes well, showing that movement of the spectral center of gravity can provide the cues necessary for the identification of dynamic events in speech such as F2 transitions. Most models of vowel perception propose that vowels are identified on the basis of formant peaks. Our results indicate that perception of dynamic events in speech is to a large extent attributable to central auditory processes such as spectral integration.