CONSONANT PERCEPTION IN NORMAL AND IMPAIRED LISTENERS

这项拟议工作的总体目标是更好地理解辅音光谱突显和共振峰转换线索在决定音素判断时是如何相互作用的，助听器和人工耳蜗中的信号处理策略如何改变这些线索，以及这些改变对感音性听力损失听者的辅音标记的影响。本研究有三个具体目的：1)研究听力正常的听者和感音神经性耳聋的听者对辅音标记的相对幅度和共振峰转换线索的交互作用，以及呈现水平、线索时长和响度整合对这种交互作用的影响；2)考察线性和音节压缩助听器加工如何在声学上改变线索，以及这些加工方案如何改变线索交互作用；以及3)考察不同加工策略的人工耳蜗会如何改变线索交互作用。这项研究的结果将提供1)确定语音刺激中线索权重和相互作用的初始背景；2)感音神经性听力损失耳朵反应的异常增长与语音线索感知之间的可能关系；3)关于声学线索处理的噪声源的进一步信息；以及4)关于新型听觉假体设备的信息改变语音声学线索，从而影响辅音标记行为。

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.