Selective adaptation in speech perception using a compelling audiovisual adaptor

A replication of the audiovisual test of speech selective adaptation performed by Roberts and Summerfield [Percept. Psychophys. 30, 309–314 (1981)] was conducted. The audiovisual methodology allows for the dissociation of acoustic and phonetic components of an adapting stimulus. Roberts and Summerfield’s results have been interpreted to support an auditory basis for selective adaptation. However, their subjects did not consistently report hearing the adaptor as a visually influenced syllable making this interpretation questionable. In the present experiment, a more compelling audiovisual adaptor was implemented resulting in a visually influenced percept 99% of the time. Still, systematic adaptation occurred only for the auditory component.