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Updated: Sep 10, 2025
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The Interaction of Target and Masker Speech in Competing Speech Perception
Sheyenne Fishero1, Joan A Sereno1, Allard Jongman1
1Linguistics Department, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
Brain Sciences
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Understanding speech in noise is crucial. This study shows that pitch differences, more than speaking rate or language, significantly improve the ability to segregate speech streams in competing sound environments.
Area of Science:
- Auditory perception
- Speech processing
- Psychoacoustics
Background:
- Speech perception often occurs amidst background noise or competing speech.
- Effective speech segregation is vital for clear auditory comprehension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different acoustic cues (pitch, speaking rate) aid in segregating target speech from competing speech.
- To determine if non-native language maskers enhance speech segregation and the role of their rhythm.
Main Methods:
- Participants listened to target speech embedded in two-talker babble with varying pitch and speaking rates.
- Tested English babble with mismatched pitch/rate and babble in Dutch and French (unknown languages).
Main Results:
- Mismatched pitch or speaking rate improved speech segregation.
- Pitch difference was more effective than speaking rate when both cues mismatched.
- Unknown language maskers improved segregation, with minimal influence from their rhythm.
Conclusions:
- A cue's ability to signal a new talker is linked to its effectiveness in speech segregation.
- Findings enhance understanding of speech perception in realistic noisy conditions.
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