About this Research Topic
The focus of this Research Topic is the fast-growing body of research on imitation phenomena in speech. We aim to bring together researchers with a large variety of scientific backgrounds (linguistics, speech sciences, psycholinguistics, experimental sociolinguistics, neurosciences, cognitive sciences) with a view to improving our understanding of the role of imitation in the production, comprehension and acquisition of spoken language. The Research Topic will also aim to assess current research on the brain and cognitive underpinnings of imitative behavior. The questions that can be explored in the submitted articles and communications include the following:
When is phonetic imitation an automatic process and when does it represent a conscious effort of the talkers, designed to fit the social context of the interaction?
Which components of the speech signal are imitated in different contexts/conditions?
What are the causes of individual differences in the ability to imitate phonetic properties of both L1 and L2 (e.g., phonetic talent, dominant pitch perception mode, auditory memory etc.)?
What computational techniques can be successfully employed to characterize imitation in speech, both in terms of static characterization (comparing short fragments of speech), as well as from a nonsegmental perspective (comparing evolution of different features over time)?
How do visual cues interact with auditory cues, e.g., with respect to the degree of imitation and the speed of processing?
What are the neural correlates of speech imitation?
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
