An examination of the cognitive patterns and neural basis underlying the individual differences in the McGurk effect.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20650
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90030:Cognitive science-related
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University (2022); Ritsumeikan University (2021); Chukyo University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Ujiie Yuta 立教大学, 現代心理学部, 助教 (60781789)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 視聴覚統合 / McGurk効果 / 個人差 / 脳機能測定 / 自閉スペクトラム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project examined the factors contributing to individual differences in the McGurk effect in relation to autistic traits, specifically focusing on the influence of observers' cognitive styles and their neural basis. A series of experiments revealed the following insights. First, individual differences in the McGurk effect were associated with variations in brain activity, such as the left superior temporal sulcus, during observing the McGurk stimuli. Second, the individual differences in the McGurk effect were not attributed to visual face processing. Third, these individual differences were attributed to variations in the weighting of sensory information during the integration process. However, these differences may be situation-dependent. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into understanding the underlying mechanisms of diversity in audiovisual speech integration.

Free Research Field

認知心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

マガーク効果の研究は、1976年にMcGurk & MacDonaldによる報告から40年以上経つ現在も、年間100報以上の論文が出されており、認知科学、心理学、音声工学、脳科学、精神病理学など様々な領域から注目を集めるテーマである。ヒトの音声知覚の特性を反映する錯覚のため、その生起メカニズムの解明はヒトがどのように顔と音声を統合するのか、そのメカニズムの理解に寄与できる。さらに、本研究は、自閉スペクトラムとの関連からマガーク効果の個人差を解明しようという試みであり、その成果により、知覚的側面から、自閉スペクトラムを持つ人の対人コミュニケーション困難性の理解に貢献できる可能性があるといえる。