Sex difference in susceptibility to delayed auditory feedback in oral reading tasks

Abstract

Sex difference in susceptibility to DAF (delayed auditory feedback) in oral reading of texts was investigated. Forty adults, 20 males and 20 females with normal speech and hearing abilities, read aloud two kinds of texts, one easy to read and the other difficult, under two conditions, NAF (normal auditory feedback) and DAF. Delays were 150, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ms and the feedback intensity was 90 dB in SPL at maximum. Susceptibility to DAF was defined as max magnitude of DAF Index under five DAF conditions (DAF Index = 1-CMR(tau)/CMR(0), where CMR was correct mora rate per second and tau the delay). As the results, the susceptibility was significantly higher in males than in females for easy texts. Sex difference of the feedback mechanism for articulation was clearer in easy texts than in difficult ones. It was suggested that the articulatory movement was more cognitively controlled by the route of auditory feedback in males than in females.