A recent study from researchers at Aix-Marseille University suggests that a simple rhythmic movement—such as finger-tapping—can significantly improve one’s ability to understand speech in noisy settings. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, indicate that engaging in rhythmic motor activity primes the brain to better process speech amid background noise.
Motor System Priming Improves Speech Perception
The research team, led by Noémie te Rietmolen, Kristof Strijkers, and Benjamin Morillon, conducted three behavioral experiments to explore how rhythmic movement influences naturalistic speech-in-noise perception.
In the first experiment, participants tapped their fingers at various rates before listening to sentences masked by background noise. Tapping at approximately 1.8 Hz—the rate typically associated with spoken words—resulted in significantly better speech comprehension compared to tapping at slower (phrasal) or faster (syllabic) rhythms.
The second experiment explored whether it mattered if the rhythm was self-generated or externally cued. Participants either tapped to an external beat or tapped at their own pace. Both groups experienced similar improvements in understanding speech, suggesting that the benefit comes from the rhythmic motor engagement itself, not from syncing with an external stimulus.
The third experiment took a different approach: participants vocalized a word aloud before listening to the same noisy sentences. Interestingly, simply speaking—regardless of the word’s meaning—also improved subsequent speech comprehension, further emphasizing the role of motor system engagement in preparing the brain for auditory tasks.
Role of the Motor System and Speech Processing
These findings reinforce the idea that the motor system plays a functional role in anticipating and aligning with the temporal dynamics of speech. By rhythmically activating motor pathways, individuals may improve their brain’s ability to track speech patterns, especially in environments with competing sounds.
The practical implications are promising. Whether helping people with hearing difficulties or professionals working in noisy environments, simple actions like rhythmic tapping or vocalizing could serve as low-tech strategies to enhance communication.
Reference:
te Rietmolen, N., Strijkers, K., & Morillon, B. (2025). Moving rhythmically can facilitate naturalistic speech perception in a noisy environment. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 292(20250354). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0354
