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Cited by 50Neuroscience and Music PerceptionPhonetics and Phonology ResearchNeurobiology of Language and Bilingualism

ERP correlates of motivating voices: quality of motivation and time-course matters

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Zougkou, Konstantina, Weinstein, Netta, Paulmann, Silke·2017·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
DOI 10.1093/scan/nsx064PMC PMC5647802
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Abstract

Here, we conducted the first study to explore how motivations expressed through speech are processed in real-time. Participants listened to sentences spoken in two types of well-studied motivational tones (autonomy-supportive and controlling), or a neutral tone of voice. To examine this, listeners were presented with sentences that either signaled motivations through prosody (tone of voice) and words simultaneously (e.g. 'You absolutely have to do it my way' spoken in a controlling tone of voice), or lacked motivationally biasing words (e.g. 'Why don't we meet again tomorrow' spoken in a motivational tone of voice). Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in response to motivations conveyed through words and prosody showed that listeners rapidly distinguished between motivations and neutral forms of communication as shown in enhanced P2 amplitudes in response to motivational when compared with neutral speech. This early detection mechanism is argued to help determine the importance of incoming information. Once assessed, motivational language is continuously monitored and thoroughly evaluated. When compared with neutral speech, listening to controlling (but not autonomy-supportive) speech led to enhanced late potential ERP mean amplitudes, suggesting that listeners are particularly attuned to controlling messages. The importance of controlling motivation for listeners is mirrored in effects observed for motivations expressed through prosody only. Here, an early rapid appraisal, as reflected in enhanced P2 amplitudes, is only found for sentences spoken in controlling (but not autonomy-supportive) prosody. Once identified as sounding pressuring, the message seems to be preferentially processed, as shown by enhanced late potential amplitudes in response to controlling prosody. Taken together, results suggest that motivational and neutral language are differentially processed; further, the data suggest that listening to cues signaling pressure and control cannot be ignored and lead to preferential, and more in-depth processing mechanisms.

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  • The findings are consistent with past electrophysiological work showing that controlling voices, more so than autonomy-supportive voices, command immediate attention compared to neutral-sounding voices.

    “These findings are consistent with past electrophysiological work that shows that controlling voices, more so than autonomy‐supportive voices, command immediate attention when compared to neutral‐sounding voices (Paulmann et al., 2019; Zougkou et al., 2017).”

    From Teachers' motivational prosody: A pre‐registered experimental test of children's reactions to tone of voice used by teachers (2023) · cites this paper as Zougkou et al., 2017

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Authors
Zougkou, K., Weinstein, N., & Paulmann, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Essex (GB)
  • Cardiff University (GB)
Corresponding author
Paulmann, Silke
ORCID
Venue
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2017-05-19
Volume
12
Issue
10
Pages
1687-1700
ISSN
  • 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
  • 1749-5024
DOI
10.1093/scan/nsx064
PMC
PMC5647802
OpenAlex
W2614173384
Cited by
50
References
10
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6
FWCI
2.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Open Access at Essex (University of Essex) (acceptedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Music Perception
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Phonetics and Phonology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Keywords
motivational speeches, prosody, P2 component, event-related potentials, speech processing
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Brain Mapping, Communication, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Female, Humans, Language, Male, Motivation, Reaction Time, Speech, Voice, Young Adult

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