Articulatory errors in speech occur at which level of the speech process?

Articulatory errors in speech occur at the peripheral level of the speech process. This level encompasses the physical production of speech sounds, using the articulators such as the tongue, lips, palate, and vocal cords. When someone has difficulties articulating particular sounds, it typically indicates issues with these physical components rather than with the underlying cognitive or auditory processes. At the peripheral level, the intricacies of muscle coordination, timing, and control are crucial, which directly affect one's ability to produce clear and intelligible speech.

In contrast, central representation involves cognitive and linguistic aspects of language processing, including the mental formulation of language and its retrieval. Auditory processing pertains to how the brain interprets and understands sounds, which is distinct from actual speech production. Phonological awareness relates more to the cognitive understanding of sounds and their manipulations in words rather than the actual motoric aspect of articulating those sounds. Thus, the focus on the peripheral level pinpointing to the articulatory mechanisms aligns with the nature of articulatory errors in speech.