Interactive effects of low-pass filtering and masking noise on word recognition.
A word recognition in noise paradigm was employed to examine temporal resolution in individuals with simulated hearing loss. Word recognition scores were obtained for low-pass filtered speech (i.e., cutoff frequencies of 1000,1250, and 1500 Hz) presented in continuous and interrupted noise at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of -10, 0, and 10 dB. Performance improved with increasing SNR and low-pass frequency filter settings. Generally, word recognition performance was better in the interrupted noise condition than the continuous noise condition. This effect was greatest in the -10 dB SNR condition. Since the continuous/interrupted performance difference steadily declined as a function of low-pass filter cutoff frequency, these findings suggest that one factor leading to poorer speech recognition in individuals with high-frequency hearing impairment may be their dependence on low-frequency hearing channels that are inherently poorer than high-frequency channels for temporal resolution.
Scott
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School of Human Communication Disorders, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Green
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WB
Stuart
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A
D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006316:Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008144:Loudness Perception; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*