Levelt's Model of Speech Production

Question 1

Explain Levelt’s model

Answer 1

It provides a theoretical framework to evaluate and examine one’s communication
Allows understanding into how the cognitive system is operating
Focusses on expression rather than comprehension

Question 2

Conceptualisation

Answer 2

Produces preverbal message

Involves communicative intention (what to express, how to express it)

Question 3

Conceptualiser

Answer 3

Discourse record - considers what has been said before
Produces preverbal message (abstract)
Monitors what to say, how to say it 
Conscious control 
Demands attentional resources

Question 4

Intentional Strategy

Answer 4

Content of message - what to say, how to say it (paralinguistic aspects)
Linearisation - order of information
Perspective taking

Question 5

Intention Planning; Macroplanning

Answer 5

Planning speech act
Selection of content to be expressed
Linearisation - orders information to express intent

Question 6

Intentional Planning; Microplanning

Answer 6

Propositional shape
Perspective taking
Prominence (mark as important to ensure it’s later stressed/emphasised)

Question 7

Success - Conceptualiser

Answer 7

Answering questions clearly and concisely
Providing easily understandable directions
Retelling a story in logical order, easy to understand
Maintaining the flow, keeping track of the conversation
Speaks fluently, no long pauses/hesitation
Talking in the right way, to the right person, at the right time

Question 8

Breakdown - Conceptualiser

Answer 8

Giving an inappropriate response
Speech is tangential, providing too much info
Stories are difficult to follow, doesn’t make sense; listener can’t understand how people or places fit together
Losing train of thought in midst of convo
Telling a joke/making a sarcastic comment that isn’t appropriate

Question 9

Formulation

Answer 9

Preverbal message used to produce phonetic plan
Preverbal message is mapped onto linguistic form
Translates conceptual structure into linguistic structure

Question 10

Formulation - Grammatical Encoding

Answer 10

Lexically driven
Preverbal message activates appropriate lemmas
Output = surface structure of utterance

Question 11

Formulation - Phonological Encoding

Answer 11

Articulatory plan for each lemma and the utterance

Specifies prosodic features

Question 12

Success - Formulation

Answer 12

Speech is grammatically correct 
Correct use of morphological markers 
Right words said at the right time 
Select the correct phonemes 
Correct placement of stress and inflection

Question 13

Breakdown - Formulation

Answer 13

Word finding hesitation/difficulty
Semantic/word error
Phonological/sound error 
Morphological/word ending error 
Grammatical/sentence structure error

Question 14

Execution

Answer 14

Specified articulatory plan sent to the speech muscles to produce word/message
Involves complex neural activity within CNS and PNS for fine motor control for speech
Articulatory buffer temporarily stores bits of plan until it can be produced

Question 15

Execution - Success

Answer 15

Speech is well articulated and intelligible

Question 16

Execution - Breakdown

Answer 16

Slurred speech 
Imprecise/mumbled sounds 
Reduced clarity/intelligibility
Soft speech 
Tongue-tied, trouble pronouncing complex multi-syllabic word
Inability to pucker lips for "W" sound

Question 17

Self monitoring

Answer 17

Monitors internal and overt speech

Mainly occurs at conceptualiser level, detect errors, dysfluencies, hestiations, slips of tongue etc

Question 18

Loci of self control

Answer 18

Attend to message planning (conceptualiser level)
Attend to speech in articulatory buffer (internal monitoring loop)
Attend to overt speech

Question 19

Stages of Self Monitoring

Answer 19

Halting, editing, repair

Question 20

Role of Cognitive Processes

Answer 20

Can be impaired/not function effectively due to damage, developmental disorders
Conceptualiser - performs function of central/cognitive communication processes
- Controlled processes demand cognitive resources from a limited pool
Well functioning system = formulation and articulation processes are more automatic

Question 21

Cognitive-Communication Disorders

Answer 21

(Include difficulty with any aspect of communication