Voice acoustics and effort of three different communication scenarios presented in an anechoic baseline

Abstract

While vocal pathology can elevate vocal effort, communication situations also have an effect. Previous work on vocal effort and communication situations have relied on listener ratings of effort rather than talker-centric vocal effort. Towards that end, in this study, talker-centric vocal effort was related to different communication demands. Additionally, vocal performance was measured to investigate potential relationships between effort, production, and communication demand. In an anechoic chamber, participants described to an interlocutor various maps. The communication demands were communication distance (1, 2, 4 m), loudness goal (54, 60, 66 dB), and background noise (53, 62, 71 dBA). Talkers rated their vocal effort after each task with a Borg CR100 scale and were recorded with a calibrated head-worn microphone. There were significant increases in ratings of vocal effort, fundamental frequency, intensity, and cepstral-peak prominence (CPP) from the control condition to the extremes of the distance and loudness goal vocal demands which are consistent with previously observed Lombard responses. This study shows that communication demands that exceed typical conditions (such as talking at 4 m) result in increases in vocal effort and a Lombard-like response. Therefore, considerations to potential communication barriers are important for the reduction of vocal effort.