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Speech-on-Speech Masking by Voice-Gender Differences and Spatial Separation Cues: Normal Hearing Versus Simulated Single-Sided Deafness.

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Title: Speech-on-Speech Masking by Voice-Gender Differences and Spatial Separation Cues: Normal Hearing Versus Simulated Single-Sided Deafness.
Authors: Oh, Yonghee1 yonghee.oh@louisville.edu, Cuthbertson, Caroline1, Stacy, Ashley1, Kinder, Josephine1, Friggle, Phillip1
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Jun2026, Vol. 69 Issue 6, p2787-2797. 11p.
Subject Terms: *Data analysis, *Listening, *Simulation methods in education, *Speech audiometry, *Speech perception, *Hearing, Masking (Psychology), Statistical models, Prompts (Psychology), Research funding, Sex distribution, Descriptive statistics, Deafness, Psychometrics, Statistics, Human voice, Space perception, Data analysis software
Abstract: Purpose: Many previous studies on normal-hearing (NH) listeners have reported that the ability to use binaural (spatial) and monaural (voice-gender) cues can enhance speech segregation performance in multitalker environments, referred to as "release from masking." This study aimed to investigate how simulated single-sided deafness (SSD) affects masking release performance, particularly in relation to voice-gender differences and spatial separation between talkers. Method: Twenty NH listeners (aged 20-26 years) measured speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) in binaural and simulated SSD listening conditions. Target speech was fixed in front (0°), and two competing maskers were spatially separated from -90° to +90° with 30° increments. The measurements were repeated for same-gender and different-gender target-masker combinations. The amounts of masking release by voice and spatial cues were computed from SRTs. Results: Binaural listeners showed that the masking release occurred symmetrically with interchanging perceptual weighting between voice and spatial cues. In the simulated SSD, the masking release was primarily mediated by voice-gender difference benefits. However, interaction effects demonstrated equal perceptual weighting of both cues when the maskers were separated by 60° and presented ipsilateral to the simulated deafened ear. Conclusions: The loss of binaural input compels the auditory system to shift reliance from cue integration to strategic prioritization. This study suggests that listeners with simulated SSD could maximize speech segregation by leveraging voice-gender difference cue and the passive head-shadow effect when noise sources are positioned approximately 60° toward the deafened ear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Speech-on-Speech Masking by Voice-Gender Differences and Spatial Separation Cues: Normal Hearing Versus Simulated Single-Sided Deafness.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oh%2C+Yonghee%22">Oh, Yonghee</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> yonghee.oh@louisville.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cuthbertson%2C+Caroline%22">Cuthbertson, Caroline</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stacy%2C+Ashley%22">Stacy, Ashley</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kinder%2C+Josephine%22">Kinder, Josephine</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Friggle%2C+Phillip%22">Friggle, Phillip</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 69 Issue 6, p2787-2797. 11p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Listening%22">Listening</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation+methods+in+education%22">Simulation methods in education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+audiometry%22">Speech audiometry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+perception%22">Speech perception</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing%22">Hearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Masking+%28Psychology%29%22">Masking (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+models%22">Statistical models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prompts+%28Psychology%29%22">Prompts (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex+distribution%22">Sex distribution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deafness%22">Deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychometrics%22">Psychometrics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+voice%22">Human voice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Space+perception%22">Space perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Many previous studies on normal-hearing (NH) listeners have reported that the ability to use binaural (spatial) and monaural (voice-gender) cues can enhance speech segregation performance in multitalker environments, referred to as "release from masking." This study aimed to investigate how simulated single-sided deafness (SSD) affects masking release performance, particularly in relation to voice-gender differences and spatial separation between talkers. Method: Twenty NH listeners (aged 20-26 years) measured speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) in binaural and simulated SSD listening conditions. Target speech was fixed in front (0°), and two competing maskers were spatially separated from -90° to +90° with 30° increments. The measurements were repeated for same-gender and different-gender target-masker combinations. The amounts of masking release by voice and spatial cues were computed from SRTs. Results: Binaural listeners showed that the masking release occurred symmetrically with interchanging perceptual weighting between voice and spatial cues. In the simulated SSD, the masking release was primarily mediated by voice-gender difference benefits. However, interaction effects demonstrated equal perceptual weighting of both cues when the maskers were separated by 60° and presented ipsilateral to the simulated deafened ear. Conclusions: The loss of binaural input compels the auditory system to shift reliance from cue integration to strategic prioritization. This study suggests that listeners with simulated SSD could maximize speech segregation by leveraging voice-gender difference cue and the passive head-shadow effect when noise sources are positioned approximately 60° toward the deafened ear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=194600824
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00857
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 2787
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Listening
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Simulation methods in education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech audiometry
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      – SubjectFull: Speech perception
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      – SubjectFull: Hearing
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      – SubjectFull: Masking (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Statistical models
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      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: Sex distribution
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      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Deafness
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – TitleFull: Speech-on-Speech Masking by Voice-Gender Differences and Spatial Separation Cues: Normal Hearing Versus Simulated Single-Sided Deafness.
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              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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