Impact on telephone operator word recognition performance of headphone type and background noise level

Abstract

Twenty switchboard operators with clinically normal hearing were tested for ability to recognize W‐22 words presented to control for order and sequence effects in six approximately matched 25‐word lists. Tape lists were dubbed from an earlier generation of taped lists where signal‐to‐(cafeteria)‐noise ratios were 0 to + 15 dB. Lists were presented with operators wearing their own headsets (e.g., Plantronics Star Set) and the newly introduced Danavox Stetomike (which allowed either monaural or binaural listening). Testing performed in a standard double‐wall construction sound booth allowed testing each headset configuration (i.e., their own monaural headset, the Stetomike monaural headset, and the Stetomike binaural headset) in quiet and in background noise approximating an actual listening environment faced by operators (a tape of actual operator room noise presented at + 55 dBA). There was great individual difference in the subjects' ability to correctly recognize words with older subjects performing significantly poorer than younger and the background noise greatly impairing performance overall. There was no statistically significant difference in performance which could be attributed to headphone configuration in either quiet or noisy background conditions.