If someone listens to a series of phonemes that smoothly and continuously morphs between "bah" and "dah" in four steps, she most likely hears

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is due to categorical perception, where variations within a range of stimuli are perceived not as a gradual continuum but as distinct categories. In the case of phonemes, even if the sound smoothly transitions from "bah" to "dah," listeners tend to perceive sounds in the middle as belonging to one category or the other, rather than hearing them as a blend or as intermediate sounds.

If Someone Listens to a Series of Phonemes That Smoothly