Motor Theory of Speech Perception

The Motor Theory of Speech Perception suggests that understanding speech involves not only hearing sounds but also simulating the movements of the speaker's lips, tongue, and vocal cords in our mind. Essentially, our brain uses its own speech production system to interpret what others are saying. This means that when we listen, we mentally mimic the articulatory gestures involved in producing those sounds, which helps us distinguish different words and understand speech more accurately. This theory highlights the close connection between speech perception and speech production in our brain.