The overall goal of the proposed work is to achieve a better understanding of how consonant spectral prominence and formant transition cues interact in determining a phonemic judgement, how these cues are altered by signal processing strategies in hearing aids and cochlear implants, and the implications of those alterations for consonant labeling by listeners with sensorineural hearing loss. There are three specific aims: 1) to investigate the interaction of relative amplitude and formant transition cues for consonant labeling by listeners with normal hearing and listeners with sensorineural hearing loss, and how this interaction may be influenced by presentation level, cue temporal duration, and integration of loudness; 2) to investigate how linear and syllabic compression hearing aid processing may alter cues acoustically and how these processing schemes may alter cue interaction; and 3) to investigate how cochlear implants with different processing strategies may alter cue interaction. Results from the proposed study will provide 1) an initial background for determination of cue weights and interaction in speech stimuli; 2) a possible relation between abnormal growth of response in ears with sensorineural hearing loss and the perception of speech cues, 3) further information on the sources of noise on acoustic cue processing, and 4) information on new auditory prosthetic devices alter speech acoustic cues and thereby influence consonant labeling behavior.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
James A. Shannon Director's Award (R55)
Project #
1R55DC003682-01A1
Application #
6145185
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-6 (01))
Project Start
1999-09-05
Project End
2002-08-31
Budget Start
1999-09-05
Budget End
2002-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Knoxville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37996
Hedrick, Mark S; Younger, Mary Sue (2007) Perceptual weighting of stop consonant cues by normal and impaired listeners in reverberation versus noise. J Speech Lang Hear Res 50:254-69
Hedrick, Mark S; Nabelek, Anna K (2004) Effect of F2 intensity on identity of /u/ in degraded listening conditions. J Speech Lang Hear Res 47:1012-21
Hedrick, Mark S; Younger, Mary Sue (2003) Labeling of /s/ and [see text] by listeners with normal and impaired hearing, revisited. J Speech Lang Hear Res 46:636-48
Hedrick, M; Younger, M S (2001) Perceptual weighting of relative amplitude and formant transition cues in aided CV syllables. J Speech Lang Hear Res 44:964-74
Hedrick, M S; Rice, T (2000) Effect of a single-channel wide dynamic range compression circuit on perception of stop consonant place of articulation. J Speech Lang Hear Res 43:1174-84