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Nagels L, Gaudrain E, Vickers D, Hendriks P, Başkent D. Prelingually Deaf Children With Cochlear Implants Show Better Perception of Voice Cues and Speech in Competing Speech Than Postlingually Deaf Adults With Cochlear Implants. Ear Hear 2024; 45:952-968. [PMID: 38616318 PMCID: PMC11175806 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Postlingually deaf adults with cochlear implants (CIs) have difficulties with perceiving differences in speakers' voice characteristics and benefit little from voice differences for the perception of speech in competing speech. However, not much is known yet about the perception and use of voice characteristics in prelingually deaf implanted children with CIs. Unlike CI adults, most CI children became deaf during the acquisition of language. Extensive neuroplastic changes during childhood could make CI children better at using the available acoustic cues than CI adults, or the lack of exposure to a normal acoustic speech signal could make it more difficult for them to learn which acoustic cues they should attend to. This study aimed to examine to what degree CI children can perceive voice cues and benefit from voice differences for perceiving speech in competing speech, comparing their abilities to those of normal-hearing (NH) children and CI adults. DESIGN CI children's voice cue discrimination (experiment 1), voice gender categorization (experiment 2), and benefit from target-masker voice differences for perceiving speech in competing speech (experiment 3) were examined in three experiments. The main focus was on the perception of mean fundamental frequency (F0) and vocal-tract length (VTL), the primary acoustic cues related to speakers' anatomy and perceived voice characteristics, such as voice gender. RESULTS CI children's F0 and VTL discrimination thresholds indicated lower sensitivity to differences compared with their NH-age-equivalent peers, but their mean discrimination thresholds of 5.92 semitones (st) for F0 and 4.10 st for VTL indicated higher sensitivity than postlingually deaf CI adults with mean thresholds of 9.19 st for F0 and 7.19 st for VTL. Furthermore, CI children's perceptual weighting of F0 and VTL cues for voice gender categorization closely resembled that of their NH-age-equivalent peers, in contrast with CI adults. Finally, CI children had more difficulties in perceiving speech in competing speech than their NH-age-equivalent peers, but they performed better than CI adults. Unlike CI adults, CI children showed a benefit from target-masker voice differences in F0 and VTL, similar to NH children. CONCLUSION Although CI children's F0 and VTL voice discrimination scores were overall lower than those of NH children, their weighting of F0 and VTL cues for voice gender categorization and their benefit from target-masker differences in F0 and VTL resembled that of NH children. Together, these results suggest that prelingually deaf implanted CI children can effectively utilize spectrotemporally degraded F0 and VTL cues for voice and speech perception, generally outperforming postlingually deaf CI adults in comparable tasks. These findings underscore the presence of F0 and VTL cues in the CI signal to a certain degree and suggest other factors contributing to the perception challenges faced by CI adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne Nagels
- Center for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Etienne Gaudrain
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- CNRS UMR 5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Auditory Cognition and Psychoacoustics, Inserm UMRS 1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Deborah Vickers
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Sound Lab, Clinical Neurosciences Department, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Hendriks
- Center for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Deniz Başkent
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- W.J. Kolff Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Nussbaum C, Pöhlmann M, Kreysa H, Schweinberger SR. Perceived naturalness of emotional voice morphs. Cogn Emot 2023; 37:731-747. [PMID: 37104118 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2023.2200920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Research into voice perception benefits from manipulation software to gain experimental control over acoustic expression of social signals such as vocal emotions. Today, parameter-specific voice morphing allows a precise control of the emotional quality expressed by single vocal parameters, such as fundamental frequency (F0) and timbre. However, potential side effects, in particular reduced naturalness, could limit ecological validity of speech stimuli. To address this for the domain of emotion perception, we collected ratings of perceived naturalness and emotionality on voice morphs expressing different emotions either through F0 or Timbre only. In two experiments, we compared two different morphing approaches, using either neutral voices or emotional averages as emotionally non-informative reference stimuli. As expected, parameter-specific voice morphing reduced perceived naturalness. However, perceived naturalness of F0 and Timbre morphs were comparable with averaged emotions as reference, potentially making this approach more suitable for future research. Crucially, there was no relationship between ratings of emotionality and naturalness, suggesting that the perception of emotion was not substantially affected by a reduction of voice naturalness. We hold that while these findings advocate parameter-specific voice morphing as a suitable tool for research on vocal emotion perception, great care should be taken in producing ecologically valid stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Nussbaum
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
- Voice Research Unit, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Manuel Pöhlmann
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
| | - Helene Kreysa
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
- Voice Research Unit, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan R Schweinberger
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
- Voice Research Unit, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
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Oh Y, Srinivasan NK, Hartling CL, Gallun FJ, Reiss LAJ. Differential Effects of Binaural Pitch Fusion Range on the Benefits of Voice Gender Differences in a "Cocktail Party" Environment for Bimodal and Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users. Ear Hear 2023; 44:318-329. [PMID: 36395512 PMCID: PMC9957805 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Some cochlear implant (CI) users are fitted with a CI in each ear ("bilateral"), while others have a CI in one ear and a hearing aid in the other ("bimodal"). Presently, evaluation of the benefits of bilateral or bimodal CI fitting does not take into account the integration of frequency information across the ears. This study tests the hypothesis that CI listeners, especially bimodal CI users, with a more precise integration of frequency information across ears ("sharp binaural pitch fusion") will derive greater benefit from voice gender differences in a multi-talker listening environment. DESIGN Twelve bimodal CI users and twelve bilateral CI users participated. First, binaural pitch fusion ranges were measured using the simultaneous, dichotic presentation of reference and comparison stimuli (electric pulse trains for CI ears and acoustic tones for HA ears) in opposite ears, with reference stimuli fixed and comparison stimuli varied in frequency/electrode to find the range perceived as a single sound. Direct electrical stimulation was used in implanted ears through the research interface, which allowed selective stimulation of one electrode at a time, and acoustic stimulation was used in the non-implanted ears through the headphone. Second, speech-on-speech masking performance was measured to estimate masking release by voice gender difference between target and maskers (VGRM). The VGRM was calculated as the difference in speech recognition thresholds of target sounds in the presence of same-gender or different-gender maskers. RESULTS Voice gender differences between target and masker talkers improved speech recognition performance for the bimodal CI group, but not the bilateral CI group. The bimodal CI users who benefited the most from voice gender differences were those who had the narrowest range of acoustic frequencies that fused into a single sound with stimulation from a single electrode from the CI in the opposite ear. There was no similar voice gender difference benefit of narrow binaural fusion range for the bilateral CI users. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that broad binaural fusion reduces the acoustical information available for differentiating individual talkers in bimodal CI users, but not for bilateral CI users. In addition, for bimodal CI users with narrow binaural fusion who benefit from voice gender differences, bilateral implantation could lead to a loss of that benefit and impair their ability to selectively attend to one talker in the presence of multiple competing talkers. The results suggest that binaural pitch fusion, along with an assessment of residual hearing and other factors, could be important for assessing bimodal and bilateral CI users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghee Oh
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and Communicative Disorders, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA
| | - Nirmal Kumar Srinivasan
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland 21252, USA
| | - Curtis L. Hartling
- Department of Otolaryngology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
| | - Frederick J. Gallun
- National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
| | - Lina A. J. Reiss
- Department of Otolaryngology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
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von Eiff CI, Frühholz S, Korth D, Guntinas-Lichius O, Schweinberger SR. Crossmodal benefits to vocal emotion perception in cochlear implant users. iScience 2022; 25:105711. [PMID: 36578321 PMCID: PMC9791346 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Speech comprehension counts as a benchmark outcome of cochlear implants (CIs)-disregarding the communicative importance of efficient integration of audiovisual (AV) socio-emotional information. We investigated effects of time-synchronized facial information on vocal emotion recognition (VER). In Experiment 1, 26 CI users and normal-hearing (NH) individuals classified emotions for auditory-only, AV congruent, or AV incongruent utterances. In Experiment 2, we compared crossmodal effects between groups with adaptive testing, calibrating auditory difficulty via voice morphs from emotional caricatures to anti-caricatures. CI users performed lower than NH individuals, and VER was correlated with life quality. Importantly, they showed larger benefits to VER with congruent facial emotional information even at equal auditory-only performance levels, suggesting that their larger crossmodal benefits result from deafness-related compensation rather than degraded acoustic representations. Crucially, vocal caricatures enhanced CI users' VER. Findings advocate AV stimuli during CI rehabilitation and suggest perspectives of caricaturing for both perceptual trainings and sound processor technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina Isabelle von Eiff
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany,Voice Research Unit, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany,DFG SPP 2392 Visual Communication (ViCom), Frankfurt am Main, Germany,Corresponding author
| | - Sascha Frühholz
- Department of Psychology (Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland,Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Daniela Korth
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Robert Schweinberger
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany,Voice Research Unit, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany,DFG SPP 2392 Visual Communication (ViCom), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Schweinberger SR, von Eiff CI. Enhancing socio-emotional communication and quality of life in young cochlear implant recipients: Perspectives from parameter-specific morphing and caricaturing. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:956917. [PMID: 36090287 PMCID: PMC9453832 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.956917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of digitally modified stimuli with enhanced diagnostic information to improve verbal communication in children with sensory or central handicaps was pioneered by Tallal and colleagues in 1996, who targeted speech comprehension in language-learning impaired children. Today, researchers are aware that successful communication cannot be reduced to linguistic information—it depends strongly on the quality of communication, including non-verbal socio-emotional communication. In children with cochlear implants (CIs), quality of life (QoL) is affected, but this can be related to the ability to recognize emotions in a voice rather than speech comprehension alone. In this manuscript, we describe a family of new methods, termed parameter-specific facial and vocal morphing. We propose that these provide novel perspectives for assessing sensory determinants of human communication, but also for enhancing socio-emotional communication and QoL in the context of sensory handicaps, via training with digitally enhanced, caricatured stimuli. Based on promising initial results with various target groups including people with age-related macular degeneration, people with low abilities to recognize faces, older people, and adult CI users, we discuss chances and challenges for perceptual training interventions for young CI users based on enhanced auditory stimuli, as well as perspectives for CI sound processing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan R. Schweinberger
- Voice Research Unit, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Research Unit Person Perception, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- *Correspondence: Stefan R. Schweinberger,
| | - Celina I. von Eiff
- Voice Research Unit, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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Colby S, Orena AJ. Recognizing Voices Through a Cochlear Implant: A Systematic Review of Voice Perception, Talker Discrimination, and Talker Identification. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:3165-3194. [PMID: 35926089 PMCID: PMC9911123 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-21-00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Some cochlear implant (CI) users report having difficulty accessing indexical information in the speech signal, presumably due to limitations in the transmission of fine spectrotemporal cues. The purpose of this review article was to systematically review and evaluate the existing research on talker processing in CI users. Specifically, we reviewed the performance of CI users in three types of talker- and voice-related tasks. We also examined the different factors (such as participant, hearing, and device characteristics) that might influence performance in these specific tasks. DESIGN We completed a systematic search of the literature with select key words using citation aggregation software to search Google Scholar. We included primary reports that tested (a) talker discrimination, (b) voice perception, and (c) talker identification. Each report must have had at least one group of participants with CIs. Each included study was also evaluated for quality of evidence. RESULTS The searches resulted in 1,561 references, which were first screened for inclusion and then evaluated in full. Forty-three studies examining talker discrimination, voice perception, and talker identification were included in the final review. Most studies were focused on postlingually deafened and implanted adult CI users, with fewer studies focused on prelingual implant users. In general, CI users performed above chance in these tasks. When there was a difference between groups, CI users performed less accurately than their normal-hearing (NH) peers. A subset of CI users reached the same level of performance as NH participants exposed to noise-vocoded stimuli. Some studies found that CI users and NH participants relied on different cues for talker perception. Within groups of CI users, there is moderate evidence for a bimodal benefit for talker processing, and there are mixed findings about the effects of hearing experience. CONCLUSIONS The current review highlights the challenges faced by CI users in tracking and recognizing voices and how they adapt to it. Although large variability exists, there is evidence that CI users can process indexical information from speech, though with less accuracy than their NH peers. Recent work has described some of the factors that might ease the challenges of talker processing in CI users. We conclude by suggesting some future avenues of research to optimize real-world speech outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Colby
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City
| | - Adriel John Orena
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Parameter-Specific Morphing Reveals Contributions of Timbre to the Perception of Vocal Emotions in Cochlear Implant Users. Ear Hear 2022; 43:1178-1188. [PMID: 34999594 PMCID: PMC9197138 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Research on cochlear implants (CIs) has focused on speech comprehension, with little research on perception of vocal emotions. We compared emotion perception in CI users and normal-hearing (NH) individuals, using parameter-specific voice morphing. Design: Twenty-five CI users and 25 NH individuals (matched for age and gender) performed fearful-angry discriminations on bisyllabic pseudoword stimuli from morph continua across all acoustic parameters (Full), or across selected parameters (F0, Timbre, or Time information), with other parameters set to a noninformative intermediate level. Results: Unsurprisingly, CI users as a group showed lower performance in vocal emotion perception overall. Importantly, while NH individuals used timbre and fundamental frequency (F0) information to equivalent degrees, CI users were far more efficient in using timbre (compared to F0) information for this task. Thus, under the conditions of this task, CIs were inefficient in conveying emotion based on F0 alone. There was enormous variability between CI users, with low performers responding close to guessing level. Echoing previous research, we found that better vocal emotion perception was associated with better quality of life ratings. Conclusions: Some CI users can utilize timbre cues remarkably well when perceiving vocal emotions.
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Nussbaum C, Schirmer A, Schweinberger SR. Contributions of fundamental frequency and timbre to vocal emotion perception and their electrophysiological correlates. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2022; 17:1145-1154. [PMID: 35522247 PMCID: PMC9714422 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Our ability to infer a speaker's emotional state depends on the processing of acoustic parameters such as fundamental frequency (F0) and timbre. Yet, how these parameters are processed and integrated to inform emotion perception remains largely unknown. Here we pursued this issue using a novel parameter-specific voice morphing technique to create stimuli with emotion modulations in only F0 or only timbre. We used these stimuli together with fully modulated vocal stimuli in an event-related potential (ERP) study in which participants listened to and identified stimulus emotion. ERPs (P200 and N400) and behavioral data converged in showing that both F0 and timbre support emotion processing but do so differently for different emotions: Whereas F0 was most relevant for responses to happy, fearful and sad voices, timbre was most relevant for responses to voices expressing pleasure. Together, these findings offer original insights into the relative significance of different acoustic parameters for early neuronal representations of speaker emotion and show that such representations are predictive of subsequent evaluative judgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Nussbaum
- Correspondence should be addressed to Christine Nussbaum, Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Leutragraben 1, Jena 07743, Germany. E-mail:
| | - Annett Schirmer
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin 999077, Hong Kong SAR,Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin 999077, Hong Kong SAR,Center for Cognition and Brain Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin 999077, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Stefan R Schweinberger
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07743, Germany,Voice Research Unit, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena 07743, Germany,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva 1202, Switzerland
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Richter ME, Dillon MT, Buss E, Leibold LJ. Sex-mismatch benefit for speech-in-speech recognition by pediatric and adult cochlear implant users. JASA EXPRESS LETTERS 2021; 1:084403. [PMID: 34396366 PMCID: PMC8340498 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This project investigated whether pediatric (5-14 years) and adult (30-60 years) cochlear implant (CI) users benefit from a target/masker sex-mismatch for speech-in-speech recognition. Speech recognition thresholds were estimated in a two-male-talker or a two-female-talker masker. Target and masker speech were either sex-matched or sex-mismatched. For both age groups, performance for sex-matched talkers was worse for male than female speech. Sex-mismatch benefit was observed for the two-male-talker masker, indicating CI users can benefit from a target/masker sex mismatch. No benefit was observed for the two-female-talker masker, suggesting this effect may depend on the relative contributions of energetic and informational masking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Richter
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Margaret T Dillon
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Emily Buss
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Lori J Leibold
- Center for Hearing Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska 68131, USA , , ,
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Leung Y, Oates J, Chan SP, Papp V. Associations Between Speaking Fundamental Frequency, Vowel Formant Frequencies, and Listener Perceptions of Speaker Gender and Vocal Femininity-Masculinity. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:2600-2622. [PMID: 34232704 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The aim of the study was to examine associations between speaking fundamental frequency (f os), vowel formant frequencies (F), listener perceptions of speaker gender, and vocal femininity-masculinity. Method An exploratory study was undertaken to examine associations between f os, F 1-F 3, listener perceptions of speaker gender (nominal scale), and vocal femininity-masculinity (visual analog scale). For 379 speakers of Australian English aged 18-60 years, f os mode and F 1-F 3 (12 monophthongs; total of 36 Fs) were analyzed on a standard reading passage. Seventeen listeners rated speaker gender and vocal femininity-masculinity on randomized audio recordings of these speakers. Results Model building using principal component analysis suggested the 36 Fs could be succinctly reduced to seven principal components (PCs). Generalized structural equation modeling (with the seven PCs of F and f os as predictors) suggested that only F 2 and f os predicted listener perceptions of speaker gender (male, female, unable to decide). However, listener perceptions of vocal femininity-masculinity behaved differently and were predicted by F 1, F 3, and the contrast between monophthongs at the extremities of the F 1 acoustic vowel space, in addition to F 2 and f os. Furthermore, listeners' perceptions of speaker gender also influenced ratings of vocal femininity-masculinity substantially. Conclusion Adjusted odds ratios highlighted the substantially larger contribution of F to listener perceptions of speaker gender and vocal femininity-masculinity relative to f os than has previously been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeptain Leung
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, Department of Speech Pathology, Orthoptics and Audiology, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jennifer Oates
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, Department of Speech Pathology, Orthoptics and Audiology, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Siew-Pang Chan
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Heart Centre Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore
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Schweinberger SR, von Eiff CI, Kirchen L, Oberhoffner T, Guntinas-Lichius O, Dobel C, Nussbaum C, Zäske R, Skuk VG. The Role of Stimulus Type and Social Signal for Voice Perception in Cochlear Implant Users: Response to the Letter by Meister et al. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:4327-4328. [PMID: 33237837 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose In their letter, Meister et al. (2020) appropriately point to a potential influence of stimulus type, arguing cochlear implant (CI) users may have the ability to use timbre cues only for complex stimuli such as sentences but not for brief stimuli such as vowel-consonant-vowel or single words. While we cannot exclude this possibility on the basis of Skuk et al. (2020) alone, we hold that there is a strong need to consider type of social signal (e.g., gender, age, emotion, speaker identity) to assess the profile of preserved and impaired aspects of voice processing in CI users. We discuss directions for further research to systematically consider interactive effects of stimulus type and social signal. In our view, this is crucial to understand and enhance nonverbal vocal perception skills that are relevant to successful communication with a CI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan R Schweinberger
- DFG Research Unit Person Perception, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Swiss Center for Affective Science, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Celina I von Eiff
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
| | - Louisa Kirchen
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Social-Pediatric Centre and Centre for Adults with Special Needs, Trier, Germany
| | - Tobias Oberhoffner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Phoniatry and Pedaudiology, Jena University Hospital, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery "Otto Körner," University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Orlando Guntinas-Lichius
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Phoniatry and Pedaudiology, Jena University Hospital, Germany
| | - Christian Dobel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Phoniatry and Pedaudiology, Jena University Hospital, Germany
| | - Christine Nussbaum
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
| | - Romi Zäske
- DFG Research Unit Person Perception, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Phoniatry and Pedaudiology, Jena University Hospital, Germany
| | - Verena G Skuk
- DFG Research Unit Person Perception, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Department for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Phoniatry and Pedaudiology, Jena University Hospital, Germany
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Meister H, Fuersen K, Streicher B, Lang-Roth R, Walger M. Letter to the Editor Concerning Skuk et al., "Parameter-Specific Morphing Reveals Contributions of Timbre and Fundamental Frequency Cues to the Perception of Voice Gender and Age in Cochlear Implant Users". JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:4325-4326. [PMID: 33237832 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this letter is to compare results by Skuk et al. (2020) with Meister et al. (2016) and to point to a potential general influence of stimulus type. Conclusion Our conclusion is that presenting sentences may give cochlear implant recipients the opportunity to use timbre cues for voice perception. This might not be the case when presenting brief and sparse stimuli such as consonant-vowel-consonant or single words, which were applied in the majority of studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katrin Fuersen
- Jean Uhrmacher Institute, University of Cologne, Germany
- Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Barbara Streicher
- Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Ruth Lang-Roth
- Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Walger
- Jean Uhrmacher Institute, University of Cologne, Germany
- Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany
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