How the Motor Aspect of Speaking Influences the Blink Rate

The blink rate increases if a person indulges in a conversation compared to quiet rest. Since various factors were suggested to explain this increase, the present series of studies tested the influence of different motor activities, cognitive processes and auditory input on the blink behavior but at the same time minimized visual stimulation as well as social influences. Our results suggest that neither cognitive demands without verbalization, nor isolated lip, jaw or tongue movements, nor auditory input during vocalization or listening influence our blinking behavior. In three experiments, we provide evidence that complex facial movements during unvoiced speaking are the driving factors that increase blinking. If the complexity of the motor output increased such as during the verbalization of speech, the blink rate rose even more. Similarly, complex facial movements without cognitive demands, such as sucking on a lollipop, increased the blink rate. Such purely motor-related influences on blinking advise caution particularly when using blink rates assessed during patient interviews as a neurological indicator.