Perceptual vowel spaces derived by computer game

Abstract

A same–different task embedded in a computer game is used to obtain latencies of responses to vowel pairs. The ‘‘player’’ responds as fast as possible when the sounds in a pair are different and is not to respond when they are the same. The game concept and computer program were originally developed by K. Manabe and R. Dooling of the University of Maryland. Vowel sounds /i,ae,a,u/ were synthesized with interformant valley depths of 9, 18, 36, and 99 dB. All vowels were equalized in loudness based on balances made by four normally hearing listeners. Five listeners, two with normal hearing, two hearing-aid users, and one cochlear-implant user were tested four times, once at each valley depth. The logarithmic mean latencies for each different pair were taken as similarity measures for multidimensional scaling (mds). Average latencies decreased with increasing valley depths. For the two normally hearing listeners and one of the hearing-aid users, the perceptual vowel spaces derived by mds looked like the vowel equilateral, and the intervowel distances correlated highly with distances in Millers Auditory Perceptual Space. For one hearing-aid and the cochlear-implant user the vowel spaces were abnormal in appearance. Individual results will be presented.