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Gender Perception Dependent on Fundamental Frequency, Source Spectral Tilt, and Formant Frequencies

Neuhaus, TJ
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586535654035042

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Communication Disorders.
Objective. To explore how listeners use three aspects of the acoustic signal in the novel context of formant space configurations to determine speaker gender. Methods. The software Madde, Praat, and Audacity were used to synthesize 210 sound files that each contain the vowels /i, æ, ɑ, u/ separated by brief silences (i.e., the formant space configuration context). The 210 files were created by combining 10 values for fundamental frequency, seven sets of formant frequencies (vocal tract length), and three values for source spectral tilt. The lowest values for formant frequencies (longest value for vocal tract length) and fundamental frequency each correspond to the values for the average male. The highest values for formant frequencies (shortest vocal tract length) and fundamental frequency each correspond to the values for the average female. The values for source spectral tilt approximate the voice qualities of breathy, normal, and pressed. Twenty-three listeners judged the gender of the “speaker” of the synthesized sounds as female or male. Results. Increases in fundamental frequency and formant frequencies (decreases in vocal tract length) correlated with increased likelihood of judgement of female. An interaction between source spectral tilt and formant frequencies (vocal tract length) revealed that an increase in the steepness of source spectral tilt increased likelihood of judgement of female only when formant frequencies were high (vocal tract length was short). An interaction between formant frequencies (vocal tract length) and fundamental frequency revealed listeners were more sensitive to changes in fundamental frequency when formant frequencies were high (vocal tract length was short). Conclusions. Both fundamental frequency and formant frequencies are strong cues to speaker gender. The contribution of other cues, such as source spectral tilt were subtle. The observed interactions point to gender aspects of speech perception as a complex phenomenon.
Ronald Scherer, PhD (Advisor)
Brent Archer, PhD, CCC-SLP (Committee Member)
Jason Whitfield, PhD, CCC-SLP (Committee Member)
138 p.
Acoustics; Speech Therapy
Gender; speech; perception; gender perception; speech perception; fundamental frequency; source spectral tilt; spectral tilt; formant frequencies; vocal tract length

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Neuhaus, T. (2020). Gender Perception Dependent on Fundamental Frequency, Source Spectral Tilt, and Formant Frequencies [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586535654035042

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Neuhaus, TJ. Gender Perception Dependent on Fundamental Frequency, Source Spectral Tilt, and Formant Frequencies. 2020. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586535654035042.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Neuhaus, TJ. "Gender Perception Dependent on Fundamental Frequency, Source Spectral Tilt, and Formant Frequencies." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1586535654035042

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1586535654035042
81
© 2020, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Gender Perception Dependent on Fundamental Frequency, Source Spectral Tilt, and Formant Frequencies by TJ Neuhaus is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.