'n Ondersoek na ouditiewe dominansie by 'n groep hakkelaars

Abstract

Audition plays an important part in the process of speech and the ear can be regarded as the main organ of control over speech. Stuttering too, is directly in relation to audition. The latter is obvious from experiments with delayed auditory feedback, the observations of Tomatis and research with the dichotic stimulation technique. Speech functions are mainly coped with by the left hemisphere and is reflected through a right ear superiority during dichotic stimulation. The main object of this study was to determine the auditive dominance of a group of stutterers and a group of normal speakers by means of dichotic stimuli and the audiolaterometer of Tomatis and to compare the results for possible differences in the auditive dominance of the two test groups. All experimental subjects were right-handed and audiometric testing was carried out. An experimental tape was composed and consisted of 60 groups of three figures each, arranged in 30 pairs. The time of commencement and intensity levels were controlled with an oscilloscope. The earphones were exchanged for half of each test group during testing.

No significant differences could be found in the auditive dominance of this group of stutterers and the group of normal speakers with dichotic stimulation . All the results however, point to better right ear achievement by the normal group. With the audio= laterometer significant differences were found between the two groups. In comparing the results it was found that a high degree of correspondence existed in the indication of the auditive dominance of the normal group and the results can be regarded as supporting the validity of Tomatis's apparatus as an instrument for measuring auditive dominance. As far as the stutterers are concerned, differences in the results exist and further experiments are necessary to clear up these contradictions.