Perceptual correlates of affection reaction to processed speech

Abstract

A specially prepared semantic differential rating form was used to compare the perceptual and affective reactions of two groups of listeners to speech processed by a representative selection of digital voice communication systems. One group consisted of professional laboratory subjects. The other was composed of military personnel who were routinely involved in military communications. Factor analysis was used to identify the perceptual correlates of the acceptance or affective reactions of the two groups to the various systems. Five orthogonal factors accounted for the systematic component of rating variance in both cases. Although the two groups discriminated with respect to the same perceptual parameters, they valued certain of these parameters differently when rating the systems from the standpoint of acceptability. This finding provided the basis for the development of a practical method of predicting the operational acceptability of communication systems from the responses of laboratory subjects who may not share the operational population's valuation of the various perceptual parameters. It is necessary only that the two groups share the capacity to discriminate systems with respect to these parameters. [Work supported in part by the Defense Communications Agency.]