Binaural Processing Is Key to Tonal-Language Benefits and Right-Ear Advantage for Segregation of Competing Speech

Area of Science:

• Auditory Perception
• Psychoacoustics
• Speech Processing

Background:

• Speech-in-speech recognition is crucial for communication.
• Understanding how language background and listening conditions affect speech perception is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare speech-in-speech recognition between Mandarin-speaking and English-speaking normal-hearing adults.
• To investigate the effects of monaural and binaural listening conditions on speech recognition.
• To examine sex-based masking release and binaural unmasking in different listener groups.

Main Methods:

• Speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) were measured using a modified coordinate response measure task.
• Listeners included 20 Mandarin (Chinese) and 20 English (American) speakers.
• Target sentences were presented with same-sex or different-sex maskers under monaural and binaural listening conditions.

Main Results:

• Binaural listening and different-sex maskers improved SRTs compared to monaural listening and same-sex maskers, respectively.
• Chinese listeners demonstrated lower SRTs than American listeners under binaural conditions (tonal-language benefit).
• Right-ear advantage (REA) was observed for Chinese listeners under binaural, same-sex masker conditions. Binaural unmasking was greater for Chinese listeners.

Conclusions:

• Binaural processing is critical for segregating competing speech, enabling tonal-language benefits and REAs.
• Language background significantly influences speech-in-speech recognition, particularly under binaural listening conditions.
• Sex-based masking release and binaural unmasking effects vary based on language and listening mode.