Related Experiment Videos
Monosyllabic word recognition at higher-than-normal speech and noise levels
G A Studebaker1, R L Sherbecoe, D M McDaniel
1Memphis Speech & Hearing Center, University of Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA. gstudbkr@memphis.edu
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|April 23, 1999
Summary
High speech intensity can impair word recognition in noise for both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired adults. This effect is more pronounced as speech levels exceed 69 dB SPL, impacting audibility and effective masking.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Speech Perception
- Psychoacoustics
Background:
- Understanding speech in challenging auditory environments is crucial for effective communication.
- Sensorineural hearing loss often complicates speech recognition, particularly with increasing noise levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of speech intensity on monosyllabic word recognition in quiet and noise.
- To compare the performance of normal-hearing and hearing-impaired adults across varying speech and noise levels.
Main Methods:
- Utilized bandlimited NU#6 word lists presented in quiet and noise.
- Tested speech levels from 64 to 99 dB SPL and signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) from 28 to -4 dB.
- Corrected hearing-impaired subjects' data for audibility loss.
Main Results:
- Speech intelligibility decreased linearly with increasing speech level at a fixed S/N ratio.
- Hearing-impaired subjects' performance mirrored normal-hearing subjects when audibility was accounted for.
- Speech intelligibility declined when speech levels exceeded 69 dB SPL with a constant S/N ratio.
Conclusions:
- Speech and noise intensity levels have synergistic effects on intelligibility.
- Deterioration in intelligibility can be modeled as an increased effective masking level.
- The negative impact of increasing speech and noise levels is consistent across adult age groups, suggesting a potentially larger effective dynamic range of speech.