Speech Perception

Tired? We can hear it in your voice #ASA190

Challenging biases about vocal fry #ASA190

He said, she said: Why men and women experience the world differently #ASA190

Closing your eyes might not help you hear better after all

Researchers found that closing eyes impairs hearing in noisy environments, while visual engagement improves sensitivity. Visual engagement helps anchor the auditory system to the external world.

Can people distinguish between AI-generated and human speech?

Researchers assessed whether people can distinguish between AI-generated and human speech, discovering that short training minimally improves this ability. However, neural responses became more distinct for human versus AI speech, suggesting training can help in the future.

Brainwaves of mothers and children synchronize when playing together – even in an acquired language

Researchers found that brain synchrony between mothers and children is equally strong when playing in the native language or an acquired second language. This suggests that multilingualism can support healthy communication and learning without disrupting the brain-to-brain connection.

How does stroke influence speech comprehension?

Researchers compared brains of stroke patients with healthy controls to reveal differences in language processing mechanisms. People with verbal speech processing issues from stroke have weaker processing of speech sounds than healthy participants.

Blinking less could signal the brain is working harder to listen, Concordia study shows

Researchers found that people naturally blink less when working harder to understand speech in noisy environments, suggesting a link between blinking and cognitive function. Blink patterns remained stable across different lighting conditions.

When is the brain like a subway station? When it’s processing many words at once

A new study by New York University researchers found that the brain processes multiple words at once in a hierarchical manner, similar to a subway system. The brain coordinates different levels of processing, such as sounds, words, and meanings, without interference, allowing for efficient interpretation of speech.

Human ability to focus on specific sounds not found to originate in auditory nerve, brainstem

A study published in PLOS Biology finds no evidence of subcortical processing for selective attention, suggesting the auditory cortex 'turns up the volume' on focused sound. Researchers used novel experimental techniques to test this hypothesis using audiobooks and diotic and dichotic listening tasks.

CHEST Is honored with two 2025 Power of Associations Awards

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) has been recognized for its successful initiatives promoting cultural humility and community connections. The First 5 Minutes: Cultural Humility training modules equip healthcare providers with tools to foster respect and empathy in patient interactions.

Listening to a story could help diagnose language disorders, UH researcher finds

A University of Houston researcher found that recording brain activity while listening to a story can help diagnose primary progressive aphasia, a rare neurodegenerative syndrome. The method was up to 75% effective in classifying the disorder's subtypes using machine-learning algorithms and electroencephalography data.

Human brains hear best in a ‘Goldilocks’ zone of reverberation: new study

Researchers at Macquarie University discovered that listeners adapt to the characteristics of acoustic spaces to improve their understanding of speech. The 'Goldilocks' zone of reverberation, around 400 milliseconds, optimizes learning and adaptation.

Brain-computer interface could decode inner speech in real time

Scientists have successfully decoded inner speech using brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) with an accuracy rate of up to 74%. The BCI system can interpret neural activity related to thought processes, allowing individuals with severe paralysis or motor impairments to communicate more naturally and comfortably.

Some people could sound angrier when complaining, new study finds

Researchers found that speakers from different cultures convey emotions differently when complaining. Complainers use specific vocal expressions to convey negativity, with Québécois sounding more angry and French speakers sounding sadder. The study highlights the importance of tone of voice in social interactions and may have implicati...

Playing an instrument may protect against cognitive aging

A study published in PLOS Biology found that long-term musical training can mitigate age-related declines in speech perception by promoting a more youthful pattern of brain activity. This suggests that musical training may build cognitive reserve, helping older adults maintain optimal cognitive performance.

Widespread hearing problems among newly arrived in Sweden

A study found that 17% of newly arrived immigrants in Sweden reported hearing conversation difficulties, with over half experiencing established hearing problems. The study highlights the crucial role of hearing in language acquisition and social integration for this population.

Do dogs understand words from AIC buttons?

A new study published in Scientific Reports reveals that audio quality severely affects dogs' ability to recognize and respond to recorded words. Dogs excelled at responding to direct human speech, but struggled with AIC buttons, which lost frequencies necessary for conveying human speech.

Common phrases, not fancy words, make you sound more fluent in a foreign language

Researchers from Waseda University discovered that common phrasal expressions have a significant impact on how fluent speakers sound, even when controlling for smoothness and other acoustic features. This study suggests that language learners should focus on mastering everyday phrases rather than rare vocabulary to improve their fluency.

It’s not just what you say – it’s also how you say it

A Northwestern University study discovered a region of the brain processes subtle changes in voice pitch, transforming them into meaningful linguistic information that guides human understanding. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about speech perception and have implications for speech rehabilitation, AI-powered voice assist...

The complicated question of how we determine who has an accent

A recent study published in the Journal of Sociolinguistics suggests that people's judgments of accent are often culturally influenced rather than based on actual auditory differences. Participants rated speakers from different regions of Ohio, but surprisingly, those who believed certain regions had stronger accents did not necessaril...

Study maps new brain regions behind intended speech

Researchers identified specific non-frontal brain areas involved in speech intent, which can be used to distinguish between language production and perception. This study is a crucial step towards developing a brain-computer interface to treat patients with Broca's aphasia.

Hearing impairment may be a sign of increased risk of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers from Lancaster University found a significant link between hearing impairment and an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The study analyzed data from the UK Biobank, revealing a 57% higher risk for every 10-decibel increase in baseline hearing loss.

Could online technology be a clue as to why boys in Norway are outperforming girls in learning English as a second language?

A new study found that Norwegian boys are outperforming girls in learning English as a second language, with the gap increasing at age 13. The researchers suggest that online gaming and digital technology may be contributing factors, contradicting conventional wisdom about gender differences in language acquisition.

R sounds are rough, and L sounds are smooth, according to cross-cultural study

A new study found that speech sounds have texture and shape to them, with R sounds associated with roughness and L sounds with smoothness. The research showed strong tendencies for matching trilled R sounds with jagged lines and L sounds with straight lines across cultures.

Foreign accents protect people from being judged for bad grammar – study

A new study found that foreign accents can mitigate judgment for grammatical errors, except in cases where listeners are highly conscientious. The research suggests that English speakers are generally tolerant of grammatical errors when the speaker has a foreign accent.

When dogs and humans find a common language

Researchers found that dogs slow down their speech rate when addressed by humans, while humans' speech rhythms meet in the middle. Dogs process human language only within the delta band (1-3 Hz) and with phonological content, debunking myths about prosody sensitivity.

Lengthened consonants mark the beginning of words

A new study found that consonant lengthening is a universal trait in many languages, helping listeners identify word boundaries. The researchers analyzed data from the DoReCo corpus and found evidence of lengthening in 43 out of 51 languages.

Pioneering research links the increase of misinformation shared by Republican US politicians to a changing public perception of honesty

A study analyzed millions of tweets by Republican and Democratic US politicians over a decade, finding that Republicans were more likely to share untrustworthy information. The researchers identified linguistic signals associated with low-quality information and suggested potential solutions for the public to recognize these signals

‘Raw’ data show AI signals mirror how the brain listens and learns

Scientists measured brain waves in participants and artificial intelligence systems to reveal similarities in how the brain interprets speech. The study provides a window into the operation of AI systems, which have been advancing rapidly but remain largely opaque.

Language acquisition in multilingual children

A study of multilingual children in Vanuatu found that they produced as much speech as monolingual populations, despite hearing fewer minutes of speech per hour. The strongest association was with vocalisations by other children, highlighting the importance of children's language acquisition.

Genetic diagnosis helps guide care of childhood hearing loss

A recent study found that genomic testing can identify genetic causes of childhood hearing loss and provide critical information on its clinical characteristics. The researchers detected variants responsible for hearing loss in 43 different genes, and the severity of hearing loss varied by gene.

The prose of Dr. Seuss shines a light on how the brain processes speech

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center used fMRI to study how the brain processes complex audiovisual speech. The study found that watching a narrator tell a story activates an extensive network of brain regions involved in sensory processing and cognitive functions associated with comprehension. This finding has pot...

Clashes of inference and perspective explain why children sometimes lose the plot in conversation

Research by University of Cambridge academics found that children as old as five or six struggle to reconcile inference and perspective, leading to difficulties in conversations. Combining these skills is crucial for understanding 'implicatures' - inferences made in conversation when people mean more than they say.

Stimulating the auditory cortex improves speech perception

Researchers found that stimulating a specific area of the auditory cortex improved speech perception in an epilepsy patient, allowing them to decipher spoken sentences with clarity. The study used invasive brain stimulation to enhance speech detection over background noise.

Study confirms site of brain region responsible for making sure people say words as intended

Researchers identified the dorsal precentral gyrus as a critical region in controlling speech, enabling individuals to adapt to feedback errors. This finding may lead to targeted treatments for conditions like stuttering and Parkinson's disease.

Dog brains can distinguish between languages

A new study by researchers from Eötvös Loránd University found that dog brains can differentiate between two languages, with distinct activity patterns in primary and secondary auditory cortices. The study used brain imaging to compare dogs' responses to speech and non-speech stimuli in Spanish and Hungarian.

Dementia creates listening issues in quiet, noisy environments #ASA181

People with mild dementia struggle to understand speech in both quiet and acoustically challenging situations. Effective communication strategies include speaking clearly and slowly, reducing background noise, and providing contextual information.

Can we perceive gender from children's voices?

Researchers at the University of California, Davis and the University of Texas at Dallas found that listeners can reliably identify the gender of individual children as young as 5. They also discovered that identification of gender must take place jointly with the identification of age and likely physical size.

How the brain separates words from song

Researchers created a collection of unique songs with manipulated acoustic information, demonstrating the left and right hemispheres handle speech and melody differently. fMRI scans revealed asymmetrical neural activity, with speech content primarily processed in the left auditory cortex and melodic content in the right.

High frequencies and speech perception

Researchers found that extended high-frequency hearing loss contributes to difficulty hearing speech in noisy environments even in individuals with normal hearing. The study suggests EHF hearing may predict age-related hearing loss at an early age, highlighting the importance of preventive measures.

Innate auditory skills and music training

Research suggests that innate auditory perception skills play a significant role in shaping the neural encoding of speech during music training. Volunteers with higher musical listening abilities exhibited enhanced neural encoding of speech cues, comparable to those with extensive formal music training.

Brainwaves synchronize to the speed of talking, influencing the way we hear words

Researchers found neural dynamics predict future speech timing based on past speech rate, influencing word comprehension. The study suggests that brain activity synchronizes to speech rhythms, affecting how we process and hear words.

Slips of the ear: When knowledge deceives perception

A human neuroimaging study found that the brain creates perceptual illusions when speech is degraded due to prior expectations. The study suggests that predictive coding plays a crucial role in speech perception, with reduced activity in the left superior temporal sulcus associated with misperception.

Study suggests we can recognize speakers only from how faces move when talking

Researchers found that adult listeners can learn to recognize previously unfamiliar speakers from seeing only the motion they produce while talking, even with limited exposure. This discovery has important implications for personal and facial recognition technologies.

Is there a musical method for interpreting speech?

A study by Lawrence University researchers found that musicians and nonmusicians performed similarly on transcribing vocoded sentences, suggesting no significant advantage of musical experience in interpreting degraded speech. However, the research suggests potential applications for understanding normal speech in noisy environments, w...

Why musical training benefits us in processing speech

A brain imaging study reveals that musical training sharpens and bonds ears and tongue to hear speech better by enhancing neural foundation in bottom-up auditory encoding, top-down speech motoric prediction, and cross-modal auditory-motor integration.

Budgerigars can identify spoken sounds without prior exposure to human speech

A study published in PLOS ONE found that budgerigars can perceive the difference between 'd' and 't' sounds without prior experience with human speech. The birds' perception of speech sounds depends on trading cues, such as voice onset time and formant frequencies.

A new corpus of 'slips of the ear' in English

Researchers have identified 3207 consistent confusions in English listeners, revealing types of word misperceptions in noise. The corpus provides valuable insights into speech perception processes and their technical clinical applications.

When your eyes override your ears: New insights into the McGurk effect

Researchers created an algorithm to understand how the brain combines auditory and visual speech cues, shedding light on the McGurk effect. The findings will help improve speech perception in patients with deficits and enhance hearing in devices.

Babies need free tongue movement to decipher speech sounds

Researchers with the University of British Columbia found that inhibiting infants' tongue movements impedes their ability to distinguish between speech sounds. The study suggests that babies' oral-motor movements play a crucial role in speech perception development.

All sounds made equal in melancholy

Researchers found individuals with elevated depressive symptoms performed poorly hearing all categories of speech, not just sad speech, in cocktail party-like environments. The study's findings suggest a broader issue with emotion-general deficit in speech perception for those with depression.

Study unveils clue to the origin of dyslexia

Researchers discovered a vital clue to dyslexia's origin, finding that individuals with dyslexia exhibit difficulties in speech perception and extracting phonetic categories. The study, published in PLOS ONE, reveals the phonetic system may be the culprit behind the learning disorder.

Neural mechanism reveals why dyslexic brain has trouble distinguishing speech from noise

Children with dyslexia have trouble distinguishing speech from noise due to a deficit in the brain's ability to focus on predictable voice pitch. This mechanism is crucial for segregating sound streams and excluding background noise, a common symptom of dyslexia.

Excitation pattern peak is more important determinant of vowel quality

The study found that each of five Chinese vowels has a unique representative peak on excitation patterns determining its phonetic quality. This conclusion explains perception phenomena and the frequency of occurrence of certain vowels in languages worldwide.

Read my lips: Using multiple senses in speech perception

Recent studies suggest that humans use multiple senses for speech perception, including lip-reading, teeth movements, and facial features. The McGurk Effect demonstrates the integration of visual and auditory information, showing how our brains blend these senses together to process speech.

Younger is better when implanting cochlear implants, IU study finds

A new IU study supports the theory of a sensitive period for optimal language development during early childhood. Children who received cochlear implants earlier in life showed faster language gains and better speech perception skills compared to those who received implants later.

Brief exposure to Mandarin can help American infants learn Chinese

Researchers found that 9-month-old American infants exposed to Mandarin Chinese were able to distinguish phonetic units of the language, even when exposed for less than five hours. This suggests that social interaction plays an important role in language learning and that brief exposure can have long-lasting effects.