Abstract
Speech errors can have unpleasant consequences. Errors like Example 1 may be a source of amusement, but others may be more costly. Presumably, people have developed methods for minimizing the likelihood of errors and for minimizing their consequences. There are two general ways that errors can be minimized: errors can be edited, or the correct response can be boosted. Editing is defined as a reduction in the probability of an erroneous plan or the correction of an error when a mismatch with the planned output is detected. Boosting is an increase in the probability of a correct response. Consider an analogy to signal detection theory: The signal-to-noise ratio can be improved by boosting the signal (the intended action plan) or by cutting the noise (competing-action plans that may lead to errors). Enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio either way will lead to fewer errors.
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Mattson, M.E., Baars, B.J. (1992). Error-Minimizing Mechanisms. In: Baars, B.J. (eds) Experimental Slips and Human Error. Cognition and Language. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1164-3_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1164-3_11
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