bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intrasubject Variability in amplitude of Bekesy Tracings and Its Relation to Measures of Personality
Authors: Shepherd David C. , Goldstein Robert
Published: July 2014

Test-retest measures of Bekesy amplitude were obtained from 10 normal-hearing adults on 8 different days. These measures were analyzed to determine: (1) the extent of intrasubject variability among repeated measures of Bekesy amplitudes traced by normal-hearing subjects, and (2) the relation of intrasubject differences in Bekesy amplitudes to day-to-day changes in anxiety and other measures of personality construct. Findings indicate that intrasubject variability in the amplitude of Bekesy tracings produced by normal-hearing subjects is less than reported measures of intersubject variability of Bekesy amplitudes obtained from groups of normal-hearing subjects. Subjects who traced narrow Bekesy amplitudes scored significantly higher on measures of anxiety and depression than did those who traced moderate or wide amplitudes. Wide swingers scored higher on a measure of defensiveness than did moderate or narrow swingers, and moderate swingers were significantly more defensive than narrow swingers. Day-to-day changes in anxiety did not relate to day-to-day changes in Bekesy amplitudes traced by any one of the 10 subjects.
Perceived Nasality in the Speech of the Deaf
Authors: Colton Raymond H. , Cooker Harry S.
Published: July 2014

Listener ratings of nasality were obtained from samples of deaf and normal speech presented in the backward play mode. In order to investigate the influence of rhythmic patterning on the perception of nasality, seven of the normal speakers also produced the samples in a word-by-word fashion. Statistically significant differences in mean ratings of nasality were found between the experimental and control groups and between the reduced-tempo and normal-tempo groups. In general, deaf speakers are perceived as more nasal than normal speakers. Furthermore, normal speakers are perceived as more nasal when speaking at a reduced tempo than when speaking at a normal tempo. Much of the perceived nasality in the speech of the deaf may be a natural consequence of reduced speaking tempo, and therapeutic techniques designed to increase speaking tempo may produce a concomitant reduction in perceived nasality.
Fundamental Frequency Investigation of Vocal Fry and Harshness
Authors: Michel John F.
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in mean fundamental frequency between vocal fry and harshness. Ten adult males recorded a standard passage in their normal voices and then in vocal fry. A second group of 10 males whose voices had been clinically diagnosed as harsh recorded the passage in their usual harsh voice. The Fundamental Frequency Indicator and the phonellegraph were used to obtain fundamental frequency data from these recordings. A mean fundamental frequency of 36.4 Hz with a range of 30.9 to 43.7 Hz was found for vocal fry; the mean of the harsh voices was 122.1 Hz within a range of 103.7 to 180.0 Hz. Normal fundamental frequencies ranged from 98.4 to 125.1 Hz with a mean of 110.6 Hz. The major finding was that vocal fry can be differentiated from clinical harshness and normal phonation on the basis of mean fundamental frequency. A secondary finding was that clinical harshness and normal phonation could not be so differentiated.
Differential Sensitivity to Auditory Feedback Delay Intervals: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Saxman John H.
Published: July 2014

Differential sensitivity to delay interval change (jnd) was assessed for six subjects at 12 standard delay times ranging from 30 msec to 360 msec. The speaker’s self-generated speech signal (/da/) and its return via delayed auditory feedback constituted the interval boundaries. Mean absolute jnd’s varied in magnitude from 15.45 msec to 19.66 msec and were found to be independent of the standard delay times. The relative sensitivity (ΔD/D) to delay change decreased rapidly at the shorter delay times, then leveled off to a fairly gradual slope beginning at approximately 150 msec.
Infant Responses to Recorded Sounds
Authors: Mendel Maurice I.
Published: July 2014

Thirty infants, ranging in age from 4 to 11 months, were tested with five different recorded sounds that varied in bandwidth and temporal configuration: a continuous band of white noise, the same band of noise interrupted twice per second, the crinkling of onionskin paper, a narrow band of noise centered at 3000 Hz, and a warbled 3000 Hz tone. With loudness and duration of the stimuli held constant, more responses occurred to sounds composed of a broadband spectrum than to those of a limited bandwidth. Temporal configuration of the sound had no effect on the number of responses elicited.
The Effect of Spatially Separated Sound Sources on Speech Intelligibility
Authors: Dirks Donald D. , Wilson Richard H.
Published: July 2014

A series of five experiments was conducted to investigate the effects of spatial separation of speakers on the intelligibility of spondaic and PB words in noise and the identification of synthetic sentences in noise and competing message. Conditions in which the spatial location of the speakers produced interaural time differences ranked highest in intelligibility. The rank order of other conditions was dependent on the S/N ratio at the monaural near ear. Separations of only 10° between the speech and noise sources resulted in measurable changes in intelligibility. The binaural intelligibility scores were enhanced substantially over the monaural near ear results during conditions where an interaural time difference was present. This result was observed more effectively when spondaic words or sentences were used rather than PB words. The implications of this result were related to the interaural time difference and the frequency range of the critical information in the primary message. Although the initial experiments were facilitated by recording through an artificial head, almost identical results were obtained in the final experiment when subjects were tested in the sound field.
Observer Agreement: Cumulative Effects of Rating Many Samples
Authors: Young Martin A.
Published: July 2014

Twelve observers rated the stuttering severity of 400 different samples during four sessions to see if the experience of listening to and rating many samples affected parameters of observer agreement. Indices of agreement showed no change within or over sessions; overall level of rating and patterns of errors for observers remained moderately stable within and over sessions. Simply rating many samples should not be construed as training. The data from this study can be a baseline for comparing conditions that may increase observer agreement.
The Effects of Hypnosis and Suggestion upon Auditory Threshold
Authors: Smith William H.
Published: July 2014

In order to investigate whether hypnosis and/or suggestion in hypnosis can lower the auditory threshold, 64 college students with normal hearing were tested with a Bekesy automatic audiometer and later tested under one of four conditions: hypnotic suggestion of improved performance, waking suggestion of improved performance, hypnosis alone, and no hypnosis, no suggestion. While hypnosis alone was not sufficient to lower the auditory threshold, a substantial reduction (6.52 dB) resulted from the combination of hypnosis and suggestion of improved performance. The findings indicate that suggestions of improved performance are more influential when given to hypnotized subjects.
Children’s Identification and Reproduction of /w/, /r/, and /l/
Authors: Menyuk Paula , Anderson Suzan
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine preschool children’s identification and reproduction of the speech sounds /w/, /r/, and /l/, and to compare the performance of children and adults in these tasks. The stimuli consisted of three sets of synthetically produced CVC syllables that ranged in equally spaced formant contour changes from “light” to “white” /wait/, “light” to “write,” and “white” to “write.” Subjects were asked to reproduce the word they heard, and to identify it by pressing a button under a picture of the word. Neither children nor adults observed sharp boundaries between the speech sounds in this set. The responses of children were different in the reproduction and identification tasks. More children observed speech sound boundaries in the identification than in the repetition task, and significantly more frequently produced /w/ in response to the stimuli than the other two sounds, but they did not identify /w/ significantly more often. These results were not found with the adult population. We hypothesized that the developmental sequence in the acquisition of the members of this speech sound set is, first, the ability to identify differences between the members of the set and, second, the ability to reproduce the differences.
The Performance of Stutterers on Dichotic Listening Tasks Thought to Reflect Cerebral Dominance
Authors: Curry Frederic K. W. , Gregory Hugo H.
Published: July 2014

Forty adults, 20 stutterers and 20 nonstutterers, performed one monotic verbal listening task and three dichotic listening tasks, one verbal and two nonverbal. Left and right ear scores, as well as difference scores between the ears, were derived from each of these tests. Stutterers had smaller difference scores between ears on the dichotic verbal task than did nonstutterers. Seventy-five percent of the nonstutterers obtained higher right ear scores on the dichotic verbal task, whereas 55% of the stutterers had higher left ear scores. No differences were found between the two groups on the other tests.
Visual Sequencing Performance of Aphasic Children
Authors: Poppen Roger , Stark Joel , Eisenson Jon , Forrest Thomas , Wertheim George
Published: July 2014

Four experiments were conducted to investigate the visual sequencing abilities of aphasic children. Aphasic children averaged about 75% correct on a task that required them to press three panels in the same order in which light had flashed on those panels. Emphasizing one of the temporal positions of the sequence with colored light had no effect. When a time delay was introduced between the flashes and the opportunity for response, aphasic children made more errors than normal children. Delay increased the error rate of both groups, but had a greater effect on aphasic children. Both groups made most of their errors in the initial position of the sequence. Dextroamphetamine sulfate improved the performance of some aphasic children on the delayed sequencing task. Finally, aphasic children did worse on a variety of standardized sequencing tasks. Significant correlations were obtained between the tasks for both aphasic and normal groups. These results suggest a general sequencing ability in which aphasic children are deficient.
The Effects of Frequency Division on Speech Identification in Children
Authors: Shriner Thomas H. , Beasley Daniel S. , Zemlin Willard R.
Published: July 2014

Identification and reaction time to frequency-divided speech were investigated in 50 elementary school children. Results demonstrated a decrease in mean corrected percentage scores as a function of three frequency-divided speech conditions. An increase in mean reaction time was observed as intelligibility decreased, but the reaction-time means were not significantly different. No specific trends were noted with respect to consistent consonant confusions when the most frequently missed words were compared to those that were never missed.
Sociological and Psychological Factors Associated with Hearing Loss
Authors: Vernon McCay
Published: July 2014

Existing research on the psychological and sociological conditions of the severely hearing impaired is surveyed. These data reveal an essentially normally distributed intellectual potential and cognitive capacity. However, data on the educational achievement and level of vocational attainment indicate that the hearing-impaired population is grossly below national averages. These data on achievement stand in stark contrast to the findings on potential.

The failure of aural rehabilitation and education to provide appropriate programs and opportunities is seen as the primary reason for this discrepancy. More specifically, existing research indicates that education’s rigid adherence to a teaching methodology limited to speech, amplification, speechreading, and printed symbols instead of one that uses these techniques in conjunction with fingerspelling and the language of signs has impaired the deaf child’s educational progress by limiting his chance to learn. To plan realistic rehabilitative and educational programs, professional specialists must be familiar with results, that is, the deaf adult.

Data on marriage patterns, organizations, mental illness, and communication among the hearing-impaired are presented. Certain myths, such as the “hearing vs. deaf world,” are discussed. These data are then related to research on trends in competitive employment and the future occupational picture.
Some Physiological Determinants to Autonomic Responsivity to Sound
Authors: Hogan Donald H.
Published: July 2014

A pulse train of 80 dB (sensation level) served as auditory stimulus to evoke changes in the autonomic functions of heart rate, finger pulse volume, and respiration. Physiograph records from each of 20 normal persons (CA = 15 to 25 years) provided the data to examine the audiologic applicability of the psychophysiologic principles of “law of initial values” and “response stereotypy.” Analyses of response activity following four stimulus presentations yielded information concerning the salient features of these autonomic responses, habituation, response magnitude in startling vs nonstartling situations, and the improved audiometric sensitivity of multivariable recording. A new technique is described for evaluating respiration responses. Although preliminary, this study provides supportive evidence for using certain psychophysiologic methods for improving autonomic responsivity to sound.
A Note on the Degree of Adaptation by Stutterers and Nonstutterers During Oral Reading
Authors: Silverman Franklin H.
Published: July 2014

Group adaptation data reported for stutterers and for nonstutterers in three studies were reanalyzed using a proportional adaptation measure. In none of the studies did the stutterers adapt proportionally to a greater degree than the nonstutterers. This suggests that the greater slope observed for stutterers' than for nonstutterers' adaptation curves in these studies was primarily a function of the difference between groups in frequency of disfluency.
The Role of Practice and the Observation of Practice in Speech-Sound Discrimination Learning
Authors: Ritterman Stuart I.
Published: July 2014

This study examined the use of vicarious experience in the establishment of the discriminative responses comprising a repertoire of phonetic distinctions. A modification of a technique developed by Warden (Warden and Jackson, 1935) for the study of observer and model group learning was employed in the speech-sound discrimination training of 41 second grade children.

Retroactive facilitation effects were observed in the observation group. In addition, no differences in group performance were obtained between observer and model groups in a relearning situation.
Experiments on the Use of the Touch-Tone
R
Telephone as a Communication Aid for the Deaf
Authors: Nelson John R.
Published: July 2014

A series of tests are described in which a Touch-Tone
1
telephone system serves as a communication aid for the deaf. Two methods are explored for presenting visual outputs of dial manipulations. Both arrangements depend on the calling party spelling the message to the deaf receiver in a previously agreed upon code. One arrangement presents lighted digits on a representation of a Touch-Tone dial. The second arrangement displays alphanumeric characters from coding schemes used. Speed and accuracy determinations are made. Typical speeds are 4 and 8 wpm for the first and second methods respectively. Both arrangements yield comparable error percentages of less than 1% after brief learning periods are completed. These performances are achieved without special training or skill.
A Revised List for the Estimation of Dysarthric Single Word Intelligibility
Authors: Tikofsky Ronald S.
Published: July 2014

An item analysis of the 160 words used in Tikofsky and Tikofsky’s (1964) study of dysarthric intelligibility was carried out. Results of the analysis yield a 50-word list with 9 difficulty levels ranging from 0.400 to 0.800 (0.05 interval width) and minimum reliability of 0.550. The average difficulty of the items selected is 0.619, with an average variance of 0.222 and average SD of 0.472. Degree of agreement among listeners for the 50-word list was determined by Spearman Rank Correlation. The obtained r
s
was 0.99, significant beyond the 0.01 level. The revised list appears to have the potential of providing a clinically useful tool for estimating dysarthric single word intelligibility.
The Effects of Delayed Auditory Feedback on a Speech-Related Task in Stutterers
Authors: Stark Rachel E. , Pierce Bruce R.
Published: July 2014

Fifteen adult stutterers and 15 matched nonstutterers who presented normal hearing and normal psychiatric and neurological histories were studied. Their responses were compared on a patterned syllable-repetition task under various auditory feedback conditions. The feedback signals were clicks activated by an electro-mechanical device at the time of lip closure. They were either synchronous (SAF) or delayed (DAF) or a combination (SAF/DAF). SAF was presented by bone conduction at a 40-dB sensation level, DAF by binaural air conduction with a delay of 140 or 200 msec, at sensation levels of 0, 10, 20, and 30 dB in DAF alone and at sensation levels of 40, 50, 60, and 70 dB in the SAF/DAF combination. Performances were evaluated in terms of pattern duration, lip-closure duration, and number of pattern errors.

Stutterers and nonstutterers responded similarly to the feedback conditions. The following three differences were found: (1) during SAF alone, stutterers showed greater duration of lip closure than nonstutterers; (2) there were non-systematic differences between stutterers and nonstutterers in duration of lip closure during DAF and SAF/DAF conditions; and (3) with increased intensity of DAF, stutterers showed a greater increase in number of pattern errors than nonstutterers.
Effect of the Earmold on Speech Intelligibility in Hearing Aid Use
Authors: Hodgson William R. , Murdock Charles
Published: July 2014

Aided speech intelligibility scores were obtained in quiet and in noise from 18 subjects with high-frequency sensorineural loss, using standard, vented, and open earmolds. Results showed that scores obtained through the open earmold were superior to those obtained through the standard earmold, both in quiet and in noise. There were no significant differences between the standard and vented earmold, or between the open and vented earmold. Twelve of the subjects preferred the open earmold.
Course of Nonstutterers' Disfluency Adaptation During 15 Consecutive Oral Readings of the Same Material
Authors: Silverman Franklin H.
Published: July 2014

Each of 20 adult male nonstutterers read the 331-word “Rainbow Passage” 15 consecutive times. The mean number of instances of disfluency during each of the 15 readings was determined. The initial course of the nonstutterers' adaptation was reflected in a negatively accelerating curve. The greatest amount of adaptation occurred on the first repetition, and most of the adaptation occurred in the early readings. The curve reached a minimum on the ninth reading. This suggests that the course of non-stutterers' disfluency adaptation during oral reading possesses the four characteristics considered by Wingate (1966) to be descriptive of the course of stutterers' adaptation. Several implications are discussed.
Perstimulatory Tracking in Pitch Perception by Subjects with Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Skinner Paul , Antinoro Frank
Published: July 2014

The pitch of continuous fatiguing tones was tracked over time by six subjects who demonstrated sensorineural hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and possible significance of perstimulatory tracking in pitch perception by subjects with sensorineural hearing loss. Perstimulatory tracking was done at three frequencies: 500, 2500, and 4500 Hz, and at two intensities, a moderate and a high sensation level. The duration of fatiguing stimuli varied from 3 to 8 minutes, depending on the frequency and intensity of the stimuli. Immediately after cessation of the continuous tone, poststimulatory tracking was done with pulsed tones at low sensation levels to observe the recovery trend from any observed shifts in pitch. Temporary pitch shift (TPS) was not evident at 500 Hz; however, TPS was observed for all of the conditions at 2500 and 4500 Hz. These findings were compared to observed TPS and recovery in subjects with normal hearing.
Parkinson’s Disease: Speech Disorder and Released Infantile Oroneuromotor Activity
Authors: Morrison Eleanor B. , Rigrodsky Seymour , Mysak Edward D.
Published: July 2014

Thirty subjects with primary Parkinson’s disease, each of whom was classified as being in one of three stages of disease progression, were examined for the presence of infantile oroneuromotor activity and evaluated for severity of speech disorder. It was expected that greater speech defectiveness and an increased incidence and strength of infantile oroneuromotor symptoms would accompany each stage of disease progression. Although severity of speech disorder and presence of infantile oroneuromotor symptomatology did not parallel the various stages of disease progression, the results of this study indicate that in the most severe stage of parkinsonian progression, subjects were more severely impaired in speech ability, and more subjects evidenced infantile oroneuromotor symptomatology. Since infantile oral reflexology was tested independently of speech, it is not known if these patterns become released during the act of speaking: it could not be determined whether any released activity occurred intraorally, and observation of each of the subjects during the act of speaking did not reveal infantile oroneuromotor patterns akin to those which have been reported in the literature in relation to cerebral palsied individuals.
Hearing Aid Efficiency in a Competing Speech Situation
Authors: Tillman Tom W. , Carhart Raymond , Olsen Wayne O.
Published: July 2014

Discrimination for monosyllabic words heard against competing sentences was measured at the same sensation level during unaided and aided listening using four types of subject: normal hearers, conductive loss cases, nonpresbycusic sensorineurals, and presbycusics. There were 12 subjects per group. Listening against competing sentences was binaural, monaural direct, and monaural indirect at nominal primary-to-secondary ratios of +18 and +6 dB. Unaided measures, including SRT and monosyllabic discrimination, were obtained by sound field testing conditions; aided measures were obtained with the subject in a separate room wearing the hearing aid receiver and earmold while the hearing aids were mounted on an artificial head placed in the sound field test chamber. The aided measures were obtained at two sound field levels (70 dB and 60 dB SPL) and at two gain settings (50 dB and 40 dB). The main findings were (1) that the hearing-impaired required more of an increase in SPL, re performance in the sound field, to achieve spondee threshold via the hearing aid than can be accounted for by the difference in methodology alone, (2) that intelligibility of monosyllabic words in quiet was somewhat poorer during aided listening than during unaided listening even though sensation level was held constant, (3) that subjects with presbycusis and other sensorineural losses were less resistant to masking by competing sentences during unaided listening than were subjects with normal hearing or with conductive loss, and (4) that all groups exhibited reduced intelligibility for a constant sensation level. This last effect was particularly severe for patients with presbycusic and other sensorineural hearing loss. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Comparison of Two Approaches to Behavioral Observation Audiometry
Authors: Weber Bruce A.
Published: July 2014

Thirty children below the age of six years were tested using two observers in behavioral observation audiometry (BOA). Observer 1 knew which sounds were being presented to the child; Observer 2 did not. Though Observer 2 was more conservative in his judgments of response, the two observers yielded similar test results. The results are interpreted as supporting the BOA modifications suggested by Weber (1969).
Differences in Disfluency Behavior Between Male and Female Nonstuttering Children
Authors: Kools Joseph A. , Berryman Joan D.
Published: July 2014

Speech samples of 150 words were obtained from 92 first-grade children, 46 males and 46 females. Children’s Thematic Apperception Test pictures were employed to elicit verbalization. Occurrences of types of disfluencies were identified from taped recordings.

No sex differences were found with regard to total number of disfluencies. Comparisons of incidence of specific types of disfluencies revealed that males exhibited a greater number of incomplete phrases than did females.
Aphasic Word Identification as a Function of Logical Relationship and Association Strength
Authors: Wiig Elisabeth H. , Globus Diane
Published: July 2014

Aphasic word identification as a function of logical relationship and restricted association strength of clues was investigated to (1) establish the relative efficiency of strategies in eliciting word identificatons, and (2) compare aphasic and nonaphasic performance on the experimental task. Subjects were eleven aphasic adults from the University of Michigan aphasia program and eleven randomly selected college students. All aphasic subjects had completed college premorbidly. The word identification task was designed to elicit twenty target words (nouns). For each target word four clue words were selected which represented the following relationships to the target word: (1) logical, high association, (2) infralogical, high association, (3) in-fralogical, low association, and (4) logical, low association. Analysis of variance of the data indicated no significant difference between the groups in total number of words identified. The effect of the different clue combinations on word identification and the interaction between subjects and treatments were highly significant. The findings suggest similar patterns of facilitation of target word identification for both subject groups. However, high logical and high infralogical clues were more efficient in eliciting target words from nonaphasic than from aphasic subjects, while low infralogical and low logical clues were equally efficient.
Changes in Reliance on Auditory Feedback Cues as a Function of Oral Practice
Authors: Webster Ronald L. , Dorman Michael F.
Published: July 2014

This experiment used a two-by-two factorial design to investigate the effects of two levels of oral practice and two types of auditory feedback upon reading times and number of speech disfluencies for 60 normally fluent speakers. During tests under delayed auditory feedback, subjects who had experienced six previous oral reading trials on a standard passage under normal auditory feedback made significantly fewer articulation errors and had significantly shorter reading times than subjects without prior reading practice. Tests of practiced subjects vs nonpracticed subjects under normal auditory feedback showed no significant differences in articulation errors or reading times. It was suggested that functional properties of auditory feedback cues were temporarily changed by oral reading practice.
Hearing Aid Distortion and Consonant Identification
Authors: Bode Daniel L. , Kasten Roger N.
Published: July 2014

An experiment was conducted with 34 normal-hearing listeners to determine the effects of distortion (generated by a single hearing aid) on consonant identification in noise. Five experimental conditions were employed in which measured harmonic distortion ranged from approximately 1% (high fidelity) to 35%. Each listening condition involved playback of recorded test material at a constant sensation level. Results showed that average consonant identification scores, relative to the high-fidelity condition, decreased 15–29% as a function of increased distortion. Initial consonants were discriminated best across all distortion conditions, and progressive increases in distortion tended to most affect final consonants. The data also suggested possible talker/hearing aid interactions. Reduced high-frequency response and altered speech-to-noise ratio, together with harmonic distortion, were postulated as mutually inclusive causes of the observed decrements in consonant differentiation.
The Effect of Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation on the Disfluency of Nonstutterers
Authors: Silverman Franklin H.
Published: July 2014

The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether nonstutterers, like stutterers, become more fluent when pacing their speech with a metronome. Each of 20 adult male nonstutterers read four different passages. Two of the passages were read at their normal rate and two were read with a metronome at one word per beat. Based upon the number of disfluencies observed in each condition, it appears not only that nonstutterers become more fluent when pacing their speech with a metronome, but also that the degree to which they become more fluent is within the range which has been reported for stutterers. This finding provides additional support for the argument recently advanced by several investigators that the effect of the metronome on stuttering is not primarily a result of distraction, at least in the way distraction has been traditionally defined.
The Use of Alternated Stimuli to Reduce Response Decrement in the Auditory Testing of Newborn Infants
Authors: Ling Daniel , Heaney Carole , Doehring Donald G.
Published: July 2014

Two narrow-band noises, one centered on 2000 Hz (Stimulus A), the other on 1250 Hz (Stimulus B), were used to study behavioral response decrement among 400 newborn infants. A set of three presentations was administered to each subject at 90 dB SPL. Interstimulus intervals were not less than 60 seconds. For half of the subjects, stimuli within sets were repeated (either AAA or BBB); for the remainder, alternated (either ABA or BAB). Response decrement occurred under the first condition, but not under the second.
Further Investigation of Vowel Items in Multiple-Choice Speech Discrimination Testing
Authors: Owens Elmer , Benedict Martha , Schubert Earl D.
Published: July 2014

A list of 25 vowel-test items employing a multiple-choice (or closed-set) response system was presented to 94 patients with hearing impairments and 10 with normal hearing listening through a low-pass filter. The items had been demonstrated empirically to be the most difficult of 288 similarly constructed items. Even these 25 items produced relatively few errors in the two groups. No differences occurred in probability of error on individual phonemes among three types of hearing impairment (Meniere’s disease, presbycusis, and noise-induced loss). Some slight evidence suggested, however, that the kinds of error responses made for /ε/ presentation were somewhat more varied among patients with Meniere’s disease than among those with presbycusis or noise-induced loss. In general, multiple-choice items structured to permit confusion of one vowel with another failed to show promise as good test items for speech discrimination.
The Effect of a Timed Correct Sound Production Task on Carryover
Authors: Bankson Nicholas W. , Byrne Margaret C.
Published: July 2014

This study investigated the effect, on conversational speech, of a training task that included correct sound production of words as a subject read a word list at increasing rates of speed. Five children participated in a 10-day program designed to automatize articulation of a target souncf. The /s/ was the target for three children and the /r/ for two. At each training session a subject was required to read a list of 60 words, 25 times. The child was rewarded each time he read the list within a prescribed time period while producing every target sound correctly. Probes of conversational speech were recorded each day in school, at home, and in a third setting at the conclusion of the program. Analyses of these tapes indicated that four of the five children showed varying degrees of carryover. Complete carryover, however, was not achieved. Subjects who made the greatest improvement tended to have the highest number of correct readings, as well as the most rapid readings of the word list. Recordings made in the home, school, and in a third environment reflected similar trends of carryover.
Evaluation of a Tape-Recorded Method of Stuttering Therapy: Improvement in a Speaking Task
Authors: Peins Maryann , McGough W. Edward , Lee Bernard S.
Published: July 2014

A stuttering therapy method using two-track tape recorders of the language learning type was evaluated. Thirty-six stutterers, ages 13 to 43, were randomly assigned to one of three conditions for six months: (1) a standard therapy, (2) tape-recorder therapy, and (3) a waiting list without therapy. Using the TAT speaking task, severity ratings were obtained on each subject prior to therapy and at three-month intervals during the six months of therapy or waiting list. Both therapy groups showed significant speech improvement; die waiting list controls did not. Reasons for the therapeutic effects of the tape-recorder therapy method are discussed.
Recovery Cycle of the Acoustically Evoked Potential
Authors: Bess John C. , Ruhm Howard B.
Published: July 2014

This investigation determined the recovery of the acoustically evoked potential in man as a function of intersignal interval (ISI) when each member of a click-pair was presented to opposite ears and evoked potentials were recorded from areas overlying both cerebral hemispheres. Acoustic clicks (0.1 msec in duration) were presented alternately at a 50-dB sensation level to the right and left ears of four normal-hearing subjects during each of four experimental and 12 treatment conditions. The click-pairs were alternated with single clicks whose responses provided criterion measures against which recovery was judged. Measures of central tendency and variability were obtained for all subjects during each treatment condition and under all combinations of signal presentations and recording locations.
The Effect of Auditory Masking on the Fluency of Normal Speakers
Authors: Silverman Franklin H. , Goodban Marjorie Tylke
Published: July 2014

The effect of masking noise on the disfluency frequency of 20 adult nonstutterers was investigated. The majority of the subjects became more fluent under this condition. This suggests that an increase in fluency when speaking in the presence of masking noise does not differentiate stutterers from normal speakers.
Deferring the Adaptation Effect
Authors: Wingate M. E.
Published: July 2014

Eight young adult stutterers participated in an adaptation series under neutral and alarm conditions. In the latter condition, fairly intense audiovisual stimulation was interposed between the first and second readings. The typical decrease in stuttering on the second reading of an adaptation series did not occur in the alarm condition. Explanations of the adaptation effect are assessed in light of these findings.
Perceptual Effects of Forward Coarticulation
Authors: Kuehn David P. , Moll Kenneth L.
Published: July 2014

Portions of CV syllables following a carrier phrase were sequentially deleted using an electronic gating technique. Listeners were required to identify the consonants and vowels that had been partially or completely deleted. Listeners were able to identify most consonants and all vowels above chance level even though the steady state portions had been deleted. The error responses were analyzed using a covariance measure of intelligibility. Listeners were able to sort phones into feature categories prior to the point in time at which steady-state portions were reached. The results suggest that the most important perceptual cues signaling a following phone are related to physiological place of production for consonants and tongue advancement for vowels.
Articulation Proficiency in Twins and Singletons from Families of Twins
Authors: Matheny Adam P. , Bruggemann Charlene
Published: July 2014

Two hundred sixty-three twins and 94 singletons from families of twins were administered the 1960 version of the Templin-Darley Screening Test of Articulation for three to eight year olds. Mean scores for the twins fell significantly below the standard test norms. This study provides additional evidence that position of birth in large families, as well as SES level, can affect development in articulation for twins and singletons alike. The within-pair similarity of articulation was significantly greater for male identical twins than for male fraternal twins. No such difference was found between the female identical and fraternal twins.
Item Context and /s/ Phone Articulation Test Results
Authors: Zehel Zoe , Shelton Ralph L. , Arndt William B. , Wright Virginia , Elbert Mary
Published: July 2014

Fourteen children who misarticulated some phones of the /s/ phoneme were tape recorded articulating several lists of items involving /s/. The lists included the Mc-Donald Deep Test for /s/, three lists similar to McDonald’s but altered in broad context, and an /s/ sound production task. Scores from lists were correlated, compared for differences in means, or both. Item sets determined by immediate context were also compared for differences between means. All lists were found to be significantly correlated. The comparison of means indicated that both broad and immediate context were related to test result. The estimated “omega square” statistic was used to evaluate the percentage of test score variance attributable to context.
Auditory Assembly of Segmented Sentences by Children
Authors: Schuckers Gordon H. , Shriner Thomas H. , Daniloff Raymond G.
Published: July 2014

Imitative performance on an assembly task consisting of six sentences, four to nine words in length, in which words in the sentences were separated by one of four conditions of pause-time (silent intervals of 125, 250, 500, and 750 msec), was compared to performance on the same six sentences spoken normally (N). Tape recordings of these five conditions were played to 75 preschool children instructed to repeat them. Results suggest that insertion of silent intervals in sentences does not overwhelm the child’s perceptual mechanism. Children are able to encode the disrupted stimulus with normal intonation prosodic patterns. Error patterns vary regularly with sentence length and lexical item-type in normal and interrupted sentences. Segmented sentences, as he perceives and reproduces them, do reflect upon a child’s knowledge of grammar. Silent intervals do make echoic behavior more difficult.
Release from Multiple Maskers in Elderly Persons
Authors: Tillman Tom W. , Carhart Raymond , Nicholls Sheina
Published: July 2014

Masked thresholds for spondees were measured in 27 binaural conditions covering homophasic, antiphasic, parallel time-delayed, and opposed time-delayed listening in the presence of one to three competing maskers. One of the maskers was white noise modulated four times per second by 10 dB with 50% duty cycle; the other two were sentences spoken by different male talkers. These stimuli were variously combined to produce seven masker conditions. Subjects were 10 young adults, 23 women aged 70 to 85 years, and 22 men aged 63 to 88 years. Masking level differences (re homophasic performance) were observed in every instance of dichotic presentation. MLDs for the young adults were usually somewhat larger than those for the elderly subjects. Both groups showed (1) somewhat larger MLDs when the competing background included two talkers, (2) somewhat smaller MLDs during time-delay modes, and (3) smaller MLDs in opposed time-delay than in parallel time-delay. This last feature was particularly noteworthy for the elderly listeners, whose MLDs during opposed time delay averaged only 2.3 dB.
Effects of Fatigue Produced by Isokinetic Exercise on the Communication Ability of Aphasic Adults
Authors: Marshall Robert C. , King Philip S.
Published: July 2014

The Porch Index of Communicative Ability (PICA) was administered to 16 aphasic adults following periods of isokinetic exercise and rest. Results support the previous clinical observation that fatigue, such as might be incurred in a typical physical therapy session, has an adverse effect upon aphasic patients' communication. Of the 16 subjects, 14 had lower overall PICA means following the exercise period, and overall group verbal, graphic, and PICA means were significantly lower when testing followed exercise than when testing followed rest.
Do All Stutterers Adapt?
Authors: Bloom Charleen Marie , Silverman Franklin H.
Published: July 2014

Data are reported which indicate that some stutterers consistently increase rather than decrease their frequency of disfluency during successive trials of an adaptation task. These data were derived from the performance of a moderately severe stutterer on an adaptation task involving the use of the telephone.
Glottal Cues for Parent Judgment of Emotional Aspects of Infant Vocalizations
Authors: Mallard A. R. , Daniloff R. G.
Published: July 2014

Twenty-four vocalizations of a four-month-old child were judged by the child’s mother for emotional content. An acoustical analysis was performed on the samples. Multiple regression analysis revealed that glottal frequency best predicted judgments of emotional state, whereas duration and intensity were of lesser importance.
Computer Audiometry
Authors: Campbell Richard A.
Published: July 2014

The realistic use of the unique capabilities of a computer to develop audiometric procedures that complement the human limitations of the audiologist has greater implications for audiology than does duplicating the audiologist with a computer as a labor-saving device. A simple computer system that has been assembled for exploring this use, together with an example of a procedure made possible by the computer and results of its clinical application, are described.
Performance of Severely Hearing-Impaired Children on a Closed-Response, Auditory Speech Discrimination Test
Authors: Jones Kenneth O. , Studebaker Gerald A.
Published: July 2014

The performance of 23 hearing-impaired children on a closed-response, auditory speech discrimination test and on an open-response, auditory speech discrimination test was compared to their performance on auditory tests of sensitivity, teacher-evaluated categories, and other related subject data. A comparison of the results of closed-response, auditory speech discrimination test and the open-response, auditory speech discrimination test indicates that the closed-response set test paradigm appears more productive for use with severely hearing-impaired subjects whose level of performance is low (but not 0%) on the open-response, auditory speech discrimination test. The closed-response test scores for this group are highly positively correlated to data dependent upon hearing function, whereas the open-response scores are not. Analyses of the closed-response set test results indicate that a closed-response set test paradigm can successfully demonstrate auditory speech discrimination error patterns on a subject group basis.
Immediate versus Delayed Consequences of Stuttering Responses
Authors: Williams J. David , Martin Randall B.
Published: July 2014

Frequency of stuttering under three conditions was studied. Twelve young adult stutterers read a list of 50 sentences five consecutive times. In one condition, electric shock was administered contiguous to each observed occurrence of stuttering on a word. In another condition, each subject received a shock for each word stuttered during the reading of a sentence, but the shocks were not delivered until the sentence was completed. A control condition employed no shock. No significant difference was found between the two shock conditions, but there was significantly less stuttering throughout the shock conditions than in the control condition, and significant adaptation occurred in all three conditions. The hypothesis of a greater punishment effect occurring under contiguous shock than under noncontiguous (delayed) shock was not supported.
Neural and Mechanical Response Time for Speech Production
Authors: Netsell Ronald , Daniel Billie
Published: July 2014

The reaction time of 10 neurologically normal young adults was determined for a speech production task. The response was production of a CVC word following the offset of an auditory stimulus tone. Electromyography (EMG) was used to mark the onset of orbicularis oris activity in the response, and the interval between stimulus and EMG onset was designated as neural time. Mechanical response time was measured as the interval between EMG onset and the rise in intraoral air pressure marking the completion of the movement in the response. Group neural times and mechanical response times were approximately 140 and 60 msec, respectively, yielding a 200-msec reaction time. The usefulness of the reaction time paradigm is discussed in relation to studies of sensorimotor control in normal and dysarthric speech.
Diplacusis Associated with Bilateral High Frequency Hearing Loss
Authors: Robinson Dale O. , Gaeth John H.
Published: July 2014

Seven normal-hearing subjects and seven subjects with mild bilateral high-frequency sensorineural hearing losses were studied to explore the presence of diplacusis. A tracking procedure of psychophysical method of adjustment-limits was used for pitch judgments rather than the traditional method of adjustment. Each subject was presented with a standard 4000-Hz tone for 500 msec and alternately a variable tone for 500 msec. Subjects were instructed to adjust the variable tone upward or downward in pitch to bracket the pitch sensation of the standard tone. Two intra-aural and two interaural listening conditions were studied. A graphic representation of the subjects' adjustments of the variable tone was obtained for each condition. The resulting tracing indicated frequency correlates to the pitch adjustments from which excursion width and constant error were calculated. Some hard-of-hearing subjects and one normal-hearing subject were found to have diplacusis. Subjects with hearing losses exhibited larger excursion widths for intra- and interaural listening conditions. Subjects with hearing losses tended to be less consistent in pitch judgments than normal-hearing subjects. These findings were interpreted to mean that bilaterally symmetrical hearing losses increase the incidence of pitch aberrations.
Fricative Discrimination in Early Infancy
Authors: Eilers Rebecca E. , Minifie Fred D.
Published: July 2014

In three separate experiments using controlled natural stimuli and a high-amplitude sucking paradigm, infants' ability to detect differences between /s/ and /v/, /s/ and /∫/, and /s/ and /z/, respectively, was investigated. Evidence for discrimination was obtained for /s/ versus /v/ and /s/ versus /∫/ but not for /s/ versus /z/. Implications for a theory of infant speech perception are discussed.