FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-73/13

Title and Subtitle: Reception of distorted speech

Report Date: December 1973

Authors: Tobias JV, Irons FM

Abstract: Noise, either in the form of masking or in the form of distortion products, interferes with speech intelligibility. When the signal-to-noise ratio is bad enough, articulation can drop to unacceptably--even dangerously--low levels. However, listeners are capable of learning to listen to such speech and to improve their comprehension of it. In the experiments described here, the nature of this learning and the necessary amounts of time for maximum improvement are explored.

The effects of several types of signal degradation are discussed, as are suggestions for training listeners to understand them. Among the processes investigated are the transfer of listening experience with one kind of signal to the analysis of another kind, the effects of actively participating in the listening task, and the results of manipulating motivation.

Key Words: Learning, Noise, Speech, Speech Reception

No. of Pages: 9