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The McGurk effect is a compelling demonstration of how we all use visual speech information

The effect shows that we can't help but integrate visual speech into what we 'hear'. Try listening with your eyes closed and open them during the sound. It changes instantly.

The McGurk effect shows that visual articulatory information is integrated into our perception of speech automatically and unconsciously. The syllable that we perceive depends on the strength of the auditory and visual information, and whether some compromise can be achieved.

How general is the McGurk effect?

• The effect works on perceivers with all language backgrounds (e.g., Massaro, Cohen, Gesi, Heredia, & Tsuzaki, 1993; Sekiyama. & Tokhura, 1993)
• The effect works on young infants (Rosenblum, Schmuckler, & Johnson, 1997).
• The effect works when the visual and auditory components are from speakers of different genders (Green, Kuhl, Meltzoff, & Stevens, 1991).
• The effect works with highly reduced face images (Rosenblum & Saldaña, 1996).
• The effect works when observers are unaware that they are looking at a face (Rosenblum & Saldaña, 1996).
• The effect works when observers touch—rather than look—at the face (Fowler & Dekle, 1991). The effect works less well with vowels than consonants (Summerfield & McGrath, 1984).
• The effect works less well with nonspeech pluck & bow stimuli (Saldaña & Rosenblum, 1994).
• The effect works better with some consonant combinations than others (e.g, McGurk & MacDonald).

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