Auditory externalization in hearing-impaired listeners: The effect of pinna cues and number of talkers

Boyd, A. W., Whitmer, W. M. , Soraghan, J. J. and Akeroyd, M. A. (2012) Auditory externalization in hearing-impaired listeners: The effect of pinna cues and number of talkers. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131(3), EL268-EL274. (doi: 10.1121/1.3687015) (PMID:22423819) (PMCID:PMC3635013)

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Abstract

Hearing-aid wearers have reported sound source locations as being perceptually internalized (i.e., inside their head). The contribution of hearing-aid design to internalization has, however, received little attention. This experiment compared the sensitivity of hearing-impaired (HI) and normal-hearing listeners to externalization cues when listening with their own ears and simulated behind-the-ear hearing-aids in increasingly complex listening situations and reduced pinna cues. Participants rated the degree of externalization using a multiple-stimulus listening test for mixes of internalized and externalized speech stimuli presented over headphones. The results showed that HI listeners had a contracted perception of externalization correlated with high-frequency hearing loss.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Whitmer, Dr William and Akeroyd, Dr Michael
Authors: Boyd, A. W., Whitmer, W. M., Soraghan, J. J., and Akeroyd, M. A.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
Journal Name:Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Publisher:Acoustical Society of America
ISSN:0001-4966
ISSN (Online):1520-8524
Published Online:01 February 2012

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record