Toward a unified theory of voice production and perception

At present, two important questions about voice remain unanswered: When voice quality changes, what physiological alteration caused this change, and if a change to the voice production system occurs, what change in perceived quality can be expected? We argue that these questions can only be answered by an integrated model of voice linking production and perception, and we describe steps towards the development of such a model. Preliminary evidence in support of this approach is also presented. We conclude that development of such a model should be a priority for scientists interested in voice, to explain what physical condition(s) might underlie a given voice quality, or what voice quality might result from a specific physical configuration.