Which best describes the McGurk effect?

• A. Visual information dominates auditory perception
• B. Auditory perception is independent of visual input
• C. Our eyes tell us what we hear
• D. Tactile cues influence speech perception

Answer: (C)

The McGurk effect shows how we integrate information from different senses when perceiving speech. When the audio signals one phoneme but the speaker’s lips move as another, the brain often combines the cues and yields a fused percept that reflects both inputs. For example, hearing one sound while seeing lip movements for another can lead you to perceive a third sound that blends them. This demonstrates that visual information can influence what we hear, which is why the statement “our eyes tell us what we hear” captures the essence. It’s not that vision always dominates or that hearing is independent; rather, visual input can shape perception in speech, especially when the cues conflict. The other options aren’t accurate because they either claim independence, overstate dominance, or bring in irrelevant tactile cues.