Conversational Dynamics in Task Dialogue Between Interlocutors With and Without Hearing Impairment

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Speech Communication
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Conversational turn-taking relies on precise timing for smooth interaction.
• Noise and hearing impairment (HI) can significantly challenge speech comprehension and production.
• Understanding how these factors affect conversational dynamics is crucial for communication accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of noise and hearing impairment on the timing and variability of conversational turn-taking.
• To analyze speech production adjustments in response to noise and hearing status.
• To compare conversational behaviors of normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired (HI) individuals under varying noise levels.

Main Methods:

• Twelve pairs of NH and HI individuals performed a spot-the-difference task.
• Conversations were recorded in quiet and three levels of multitalker babble.
• Turn-taking timing, speech rate, loudness, and pausing patterns were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Hearing-impaired talkers exhibited greater variability in turn-start timing compared to normal-hearing talkers.
• Both NH and HI participants showed delayed and more variable turn starts in noise.
• In noise, participants spoke louder, slower, with longer pauses and longer interpausal units.

Conclusions:

• Conversational timing is significantly affected by both noise and hearing impairment.
• Speech production adapts to noise, but the specific patterns differ between NH and HI individuals, especially in challenging conditions.
• Further research is needed to clarify whether adaptations by NH partners are primarily to aid HI partners or themselves.