The Roles of Vowel Fronting, Lengthening, and Listener Variables in the Perception of Vocal Femininity

Purpose

The goal of this study was to test whether fronting and lengthening of lax vowels influence the perception of femininity in listeners whose dialect is characterized as already having relatively fronted and long lax vowels in male and female speech.

Method

Sixteen English words containing the /ɪ ɛ ʊ ɑ/ vowels were produced by a male speaker with 2 degrees of vowel fronting. Then, the vowel duration was manipulated in 3 steps. Thirty-nine listeners from the Southern United States judged how feminine each word sounded to them on an interval scale.

Results

The results of mixed-effects modeling showed that the words with more fronted and longer variants of the vowels were perceived as more feminine than the same words with less fronted and shorter variants of the vowels. These effects, however, were modulated by the vowel type, listener's area of upbringing, and gender.

Conclusions

Fronting (except for /ʊ/) and lengthening of lax vowels make words sound more feminine for Southern listeners, which has implications for clients who wish to modify the perception of femininity invoked by their speech. The relative strength of the gender and regional associations of these vowel characteristics should be further examined across dialects.

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The Roles of Vowel Fronting, Lengthening, and Listener Variables in the Perception of Vocal Femininity

Purpose

The goal of this study was to test whether fronting and lengthening of lax vowels influence the perception of femininity in listeners whose dialect is characterized as already having relatively fronted and long lax vowels in male and female speech.

Method

Sixteen English words containing the /ɪ ɛ ʊ ɑ/ vowels were produced by a male speaker with 2 degrees of vowel fronting. Then, the vowel duration was manipulated in 3 steps. Thirty-nine listeners from the Southern United States judged how feminine each word sounded to them on an interval scale.

Results

The results of mixed-effects modeling showed that the words with more fronted and longer variants of the vowels were perceived as more feminine than the same words with less fronted and shorter variants of the vowels. These effects, however, were modulated by the vowel type, listener's area of upbringing, and gender.

Conclusions

Fronting (except for /ʊ/) and lengthening of lax vowels make words sound more feminine for Southern listeners, which has implications for clients who wish to modify the perception of femininity invoked by their speech. The relative strength of the gender and regional associations of these vowel characteristics should be further examined across dialects.

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The Roles of Vowel Fronting, Lengthening, and Listener Variables in the Perception of Vocal Femininity

Purpose

The goal of this study was to test whether fronting and lengthening of lax vowels influence the perception of femininity in listeners whose dialect is characterized as already having relatively fronted and long lax vowels in male and female speech.

Method

Sixteen English words containing the /ɪ ɛ ʊ ɑ/ vowels were produced by a male speaker with 2 degrees of vowel fronting. Then, the vowel duration was manipulated in 3 steps. Thirty-nine listeners from the Southern United States judged how feminine each word sounded to them on an interval scale.

Results

The results of mixed-effects modeling showed that the words with more fronted and longer variants of the vowels were perceived as more feminine than the same words with less fronted and shorter variants of the vowels. These effects, however, were modulated by the vowel type, listener's area of upbringing, and gender.

Conclusions

Fronting (except for /ʊ/) and lengthening of lax vowels make words sound more feminine for Southern listeners, which has implications for clients who wish to modify the perception of femininity invoked by their speech. The relative strength of the gender and regional associations of these vowel characteristics should be further examined across dialects.

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Binaural Speech Understanding With Bilateral Cochlear Implants in Reverberation

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether bilateral cochlear implant (CI) listeners who are fitted with clinical processors are able to benefit from binaural advantages under reverberant conditions. Another aim of this contribution was to determine whether the magnitude of each binaural advantage observed inside a highly reverberant environment differs significantly from the magnitude measured in a near-anechoic environment.

Method

Ten adults with postlingual deafness who are bilateral CI users fitted with either Nucleus 5 or Nucleus 6 clinical sound processors (Cochlear Corporation) participated in this study. Speech reception thresholds were measured in sound field and 2 different reverberation conditions (0.06 and 0.6 s) as a function of the listening condition (left, right, both) and the noise spatial location (left, front, right).

Results

The presence of the binaural effects of head-shadow, squelch, summation, and spatial release from masking in the 2 different reverberation conditions tested was determined using nonparametric statistical analysis. In the bilateral population tested, when the ambient reverberation time was equal to 0.6 s, results indicated strong positive effects of head-shadow and a weaker spatial release from masking advantage, whereas binaural squelch and summation contributed no statistically significant benefit to bilateral performance under this acoustic condition. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies, which have demonstrated that head-shadow yields the most pronounced advantage in noise. The finding that spatial release from masking produced little to almost no benefit in bilateral listeners is consistent with the hypothesis that additive reverberation degrades spatial cues and negatively affects binaural performance.

Conclusions

The magnitude of 4 different binaural advantages was measured on the same group of bilateral CI subjects fitted with clinical processors in 2 different reverberation conditions. The results of this work demonstrate the impeding properties of reverberation on binaural speech understanding. In addition, results indicate that CI recipients who struggle in everyday listening environments are also more likely to benefit less in highly reverberant environments from their bilateral processors.

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Binaural Speech Understanding With Bilateral Cochlear Implants in Reverberation

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether bilateral cochlear implant (CI) listeners who are fitted with clinical processors are able to benefit from binaural advantages under reverberant conditions. Another aim of this contribution was to determine whether the magnitude of each binaural advantage observed inside a highly reverberant environment differs significantly from the magnitude measured in a near-anechoic environment.

Method

Ten adults with postlingual deafness who are bilateral CI users fitted with either Nucleus 5 or Nucleus 6 clinical sound processors (Cochlear Corporation) participated in this study. Speech reception thresholds were measured in sound field and 2 different reverberation conditions (0.06 and 0.6 s) as a function of the listening condition (left, right, both) and the noise spatial location (left, front, right).

Results

The presence of the binaural effects of head-shadow, squelch, summation, and spatial release from masking in the 2 different reverberation conditions tested was determined using nonparametric statistical analysis. In the bilateral population tested, when the ambient reverberation time was equal to 0.6 s, results indicated strong positive effects of head-shadow and a weaker spatial release from masking advantage, whereas binaural squelch and summation contributed no statistically significant benefit to bilateral performance under this acoustic condition. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies, which have demonstrated that head-shadow yields the most pronounced advantage in noise. The finding that spatial release from masking produced little to almost no benefit in bilateral listeners is consistent with the hypothesis that additive reverberation degrades spatial cues and negatively affects binaural performance.

Conclusions

The magnitude of 4 different binaural advantages was measured on the same group of bilateral CI subjects fitted with clinical processors in 2 different reverberation conditions. The results of this work demonstrate the impeding properties of reverberation on binaural speech understanding. In addition, results indicate that CI recipients who struggle in everyday listening environments are also more likely to benefit less in highly reverberant environments from their bilateral processors.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2BUyMXp
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Binaural Speech Understanding With Bilateral Cochlear Implants in Reverberation

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether bilateral cochlear implant (CI) listeners who are fitted with clinical processors are able to benefit from binaural advantages under reverberant conditions. Another aim of this contribution was to determine whether the magnitude of each binaural advantage observed inside a highly reverberant environment differs significantly from the magnitude measured in a near-anechoic environment.

Method

Ten adults with postlingual deafness who are bilateral CI users fitted with either Nucleus 5 or Nucleus 6 clinical sound processors (Cochlear Corporation) participated in this study. Speech reception thresholds were measured in sound field and 2 different reverberation conditions (0.06 and 0.6 s) as a function of the listening condition (left, right, both) and the noise spatial location (left, front, right).

Results

The presence of the binaural effects of head-shadow, squelch, summation, and spatial release from masking in the 2 different reverberation conditions tested was determined using nonparametric statistical analysis. In the bilateral population tested, when the ambient reverberation time was equal to 0.6 s, results indicated strong positive effects of head-shadow and a weaker spatial release from masking advantage, whereas binaural squelch and summation contributed no statistically significant benefit to bilateral performance under this acoustic condition. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies, which have demonstrated that head-shadow yields the most pronounced advantage in noise. The finding that spatial release from masking produced little to almost no benefit in bilateral listeners is consistent with the hypothesis that additive reverberation degrades spatial cues and negatively affects binaural performance.

Conclusions

The magnitude of 4 different binaural advantages was measured on the same group of bilateral CI subjects fitted with clinical processors in 2 different reverberation conditions. The results of this work demonstrate the impeding properties of reverberation on binaural speech understanding. In addition, results indicate that CI recipients who struggle in everyday listening environments are also more likely to benefit less in highly reverberant environments from their bilateral processors.

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Effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on the association of self-report measures with objective measures of physical function

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 61
Author(s): Felix Stief, Andrea Meurer, Johanna Wienand, Michael Rauschmann, Marcus Rickert
BackgroundSelf-report measures are used to evaluate surgery outcome but are not necessarily indicative of actual disabilities.Research questionThe aim of the present study was to determine the association between self-report assessments of quality of life and objective measures of function in patients with symptomatic lumbar degenerative disease. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on this relationship.MethodsBefore and 6 month after surgery 26 patients completed self-report questionnaires and assessments of 3D gait analysis and trunk range of motion (ROM) during standing.ResultsBefore surgery, questionnaires were not correlated with any of the gait parameters and with only 2 trunk ROM parameters. Six month after surgery, the questionnaires showed 12 significant correlations with gait parameters and 19 with trunk ROM parameters. A better Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (r = 0.464, p = .026), EQ-5D (r = −0.440, p = .036), and EQ VAS (r = −0.472, p = .023) score were correlated with a reduced anterior thorax tilt during walking. Maximum forward flexion of the trunk during standing was correlated with a better EQ-5D (r = 0.684, p = .001) and ODI (r = −0.560, p = .008) score as well as with reduced pain scores.SignificanceThe lack of association between self-reported questionnaires and objective measures of function before surgery was likely due to psychological distress, correlating with emotional and cognitive function rather than true functional capacities. The influence of these psychological factors might be reduced after surgery due to a reduction of low back pain. To obtain an accurate assessment of impairment, there is a need to evaluate function by measuring objective physiologic parameters that are unsusceptible to voluntary or affective influences.



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Effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on the association of self-report measures with objective measures of physical function

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 61
Author(s): Felix Stief, Andrea Meurer, Johanna Wienand, Michael Rauschmann, Marcus Rickert
BackgroundSelf-report measures are used to evaluate surgery outcome but are not necessarily indicative of actual disabilities.Research questionThe aim of the present study was to determine the association between self-report assessments of quality of life and objective measures of function in patients with symptomatic lumbar degenerative disease. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on this relationship.MethodsBefore and 6 month after surgery 26 patients completed self-report questionnaires and assessments of 3D gait analysis and trunk range of motion (ROM) during standing.ResultsBefore surgery, questionnaires were not correlated with any of the gait parameters and with only 2 trunk ROM parameters. Six month after surgery, the questionnaires showed 12 significant correlations with gait parameters and 19 with trunk ROM parameters. A better Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (r = 0.464, p = .026), EQ-5D (r = −0.440, p = .036), and EQ VAS (r = −0.472, p = .023) score were correlated with a reduced anterior thorax tilt during walking. Maximum forward flexion of the trunk during standing was correlated with a better EQ-5D (r = 0.684, p = .001) and ODI (r = −0.560, p = .008) score as well as with reduced pain scores.SignificanceThe lack of association between self-reported questionnaires and objective measures of function before surgery was likely due to psychological distress, correlating with emotional and cognitive function rather than true functional capacities. The influence of these psychological factors might be reduced after surgery due to a reduction of low back pain. To obtain an accurate assessment of impairment, there is a need to evaluate function by measuring objective physiologic parameters that are unsusceptible to voluntary or affective influences.



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Effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on the association of self-report measures with objective measures of physical function

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 61
Author(s): Felix Stief, Andrea Meurer, Johanna Wienand, Michael Rauschmann, Marcus Rickert
BackgroundSelf-report measures are used to evaluate surgery outcome but are not necessarily indicative of actual disabilities.Research questionThe aim of the present study was to determine the association between self-report assessments of quality of life and objective measures of function in patients with symptomatic lumbar degenerative disease. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on this relationship.MethodsBefore and 6 month after surgery 26 patients completed self-report questionnaires and assessments of 3D gait analysis and trunk range of motion (ROM) during standing.ResultsBefore surgery, questionnaires were not correlated with any of the gait parameters and with only 2 trunk ROM parameters. Six month after surgery, the questionnaires showed 12 significant correlations with gait parameters and 19 with trunk ROM parameters. A better Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (r = 0.464, p = .026), EQ-5D (r = −0.440, p = .036), and EQ VAS (r = −0.472, p = .023) score were correlated with a reduced anterior thorax tilt during walking. Maximum forward flexion of the trunk during standing was correlated with a better EQ-5D (r = 0.684, p = .001) and ODI (r = −0.560, p = .008) score as well as with reduced pain scores.SignificanceThe lack of association between self-reported questionnaires and objective measures of function before surgery was likely due to psychological distress, correlating with emotional and cognitive function rather than true functional capacities. The influence of these psychological factors might be reduced after surgery due to a reduction of low back pain. To obtain an accurate assessment of impairment, there is a need to evaluate function by measuring objective physiologic parameters that are unsusceptible to voluntary or affective influences.



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