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Foreign Accent and Forensic Speaker Identification in Voice Lineups: The Influence of Acoustic Features Based on Prosody
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Predicting contrast effects following reliable spectral properties in speech perception
Christian E Stilp1, Paul W Anderson1, Matthew B Winn2
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|June 22, 2015
Summary
Speech perception relies on spectral contrast effects, where precursor sounds influence vowel perception. This study shows these effects occur even with subtle spectral properties, suggesting they are more common in speech processing than previously understood.
Area of Science:
- Psychoacoustics
- Auditory Perception
- Speech Processing
Background:
- Vowel perception is shaped by precursor sounds, altering spectral regions.
- Spectral contrast effects enhance differences between precursors and vowel targets.
- Previous research used high-gain filters, limiting understanding of subtle spectral property perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate perceptual sensitivity to subtle spectral properties in vowel perception.
- Examine spectral contrast effects using variable bandwidth and gain filters.
- Determine the relationship between precursor spectral properties and perceptual shifts.
Main Methods:
- Precursor sentences were filtered with variable bandwidths (e.g., 100 Hz) and gains (e.g., +5 dB).
- Filtered precursors were followed by vowel sounds on an /ɪ/-/ɛ/ continuum.
- Contrast effects were measured by shifts in vowel identification.
Main Results:
- Spectral contrast effects were widely observed, even with low-bandwidth filters or low gain.
- Average filter power predicted the magnitude of contrast effects.
- A linear relationship was found between spectral property prominence and perceptual response shifts.
Conclusions:
- Speech perception demonstrates high sensitivity to subtle spectral regularities.
- Spectral contrast effects are not limited to high-power filters.
- These findings suggest contrast effects are more pervasive in speech perception than previously assumed.
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