Perception of Nonverbal Acoustic Signals and Resulting Physiological Responses (SINOVE-PER) (SINOVE-PER)

Perception of Nonverbal Acoustic Signals and Resulting Physiological Responses SINOVE-PER

Like many other animals, humans produce nonverbal signals including screams, grunts, roars, cries and laughter across a variety of contexts.Due to their acoustic structure, nonverbal vocalizations and valanced speech (e.g., yelling) are also likely to elicit predictable physiological, perceptual or behavioural responses in the receiver of the signal (the listener). This is critical if researchers are to gain a comprehensive understanding of the broad range of mechanisms and the evolved functions of acoustic communication.

Therefore, in this research, investigators will examine specifically how exposure to vocal stimuli affects both the cognitive and biological responses of the listener.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Self Perception
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Psycho-acoustic tests

Detailed Description

Like many other animals, humans produce nonverbal signals including screams, grunts, roars, cries and laughter across a variety of contexts. Many of these signals (such as cries) are already produced at birth and are likely to serve a number of important biological and social functions. In addition, human speech is characterized by nonlinguistic acoustic parameters (such as pitch, formant frequencies, and nonlinear phenomena) that are known to correlate with biologically important traits of the vocalizer.

Due to their acoustic structure, nonverbal vocalizations and valanced speech (e.g., yelling) are also likely to elicit predictable physiological, perceptual or behavioural responses in the receiver of the signal (the listener).

However, while a number of playback studies have examined behavioural responses (e.g., ratings) of listeners when exposed to various voice stimuli, very few studies have examined whether such behavioural responses are accompanied by an underlying physiological response. This is critical if researchers are to gain a comprehensive understanding of the broad range of mechanisms and the evolved functions of acoustic communication.

Therefore, in this research, investigators will examine specifically how exposure to vocal stimuli affects both the cognitive and biological responses of the listener.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 2000

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: ROLAND PEYRON, MDPhD; Phone Number: +33 (0)477127805; Email: roland.peyron@chu-st-etienne.fr
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Nicolas MATHEVON, PhD; Phone Number: +33 04 77 48 50 22; Email: nicolas.mathevon@univ-st-etienne.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Saint-Etienne, France, 42055
    • Recruiting
    • CHU Saint-Etienne
    • Sub-Investigator: David REBY, MD PHD
    • Sub-Investigator: Nicolas MATHEVON, MD PHD
    • Principal Investigator: Roland PEYRON, MD PHD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy adult population aged 18 to 80 years

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Participant should be affiliated or entitled to a social security scheme

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Hearing impairment, speech production disorders or major health problems.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Other
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Healthy adult population aged 18 to 80 years; After listening to acoustic stimuli, participants will be asked to judge these stimuli on relevant evaluation criteria (e.g., "how distressed does this person sound?").

Behavioral: Psycho-acoustic tests; Listeners' cognitive and biological responses to vocal stimuli will be tested using psycho-acoustic tests. After listening to acoustic stimuli, participants will be asked to judge these stimuli on relevant evaluation criteria (e.g., "how distressed does this person sound?"). These stimuli might be human voices, animal voices or synthetic voices Physiological measures will be simultaneously taken using an array of complimentary, non-invasive techniques such as the Nociception Level (NOL) Index or video pupillometry

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Proportion of correct responses in a forced-choice task after vocal stimuli	Participants will be asked to judge vocal stimuli Example : "Of the two baby cries you listened to, which one do you think shows the most distress"	Immediately after the vocal stimuli
Numerical values of judgements along a scale	Participants will be asked to judge vocal stimuli Example : participants may be asked to judge, along a gradient (from 0 to 100), "how consistent the distress of the baby you heard is to you".	Immediately after the vocal stimuli
Response time (second)	Participants will be asked to judge vocal stimuli In this case, the participant is instructed to respond as soon as possible. The response time for each stimulus is then systematically measured	Immediately after the vocal stimuli

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Heart rate (bpm)		During the vocal stimuli
Skin conductance (Siemens)		During the vocal stimuli
Skin temperature (°C)		During the vocal stimuli
Nociception Level Index (NOL)	A non-invasive finger probe, containing four sensors, will be placed on the on the index finger of the participants.	During the vocal stimuli
Pupillary diameter (millimeter)	Using a high resolution binocular for automated pupil diameter measurement with an infrared camera	During the vocal stimuli

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne
• Collaborators: University of Lyon
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: ROLAND PEYRON, MDPHD, CHU de Saint-Etienne; Study Chair: Nicolas MATHEVON, PhD, University of Saint-Etienne, France

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 29, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 2, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): February 23, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 6, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physiological responses; nonverbal signals of the vocalizer; nonlinguistic acoustic parameters; perceptual responses; behavioural responses
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20CH151; 2020-A02993-36 (Other Identifier: ANSM)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No