Fig. 3.

Conceptual model of early speech processing. After peripheral and binaural processing, transients can already trigger attention. Primitive grouping (e.g., based on spatial location or F0) represents a subsequent stage, allowing efficient selection. More sophisticated features, such as syntactic and semantic information, are processed at a higher level and enable selection based on complex information. An important element of the model is a feedback loop, initiated by attentional control, inducing enhancement of to-be-selected input. See the text for more details