Listening Rate and Comprehension as a Function of Preference for and Exposure to Time-Altered Speech

Abstract

We conducted experiments on the effects of brief prior exposure to time-altered speech on preferred listening rate and the rate listeners would select when asked to listen to speech as fast as possible with good comprehension (induced listening rate). In Exp. 1, 48 participants were exposed either to normal rate speech or to speech compressed to twice-normal rate. Brief exposure to twice-normal rate speech led to a faster induced listening rate than exposure to normal rate speech. In Exp. 2, 31 participants were briefly exposed to normal rate speech, speech compressed to twice-normal rate, or speech expanded to half-normal rate. The faster the rate of the exposure speech, the faster the induced rate. Speech compressed to twice-normal rate led to a faster induced listening rate than exposure to speech expanded to half-normal rate. Normal rate speech was intermediate between twice-normal and half-normal rate and did not differ significantly from them. Induced listening rate was a linear combination of listening rate preference and recent forced exposure to time-altered speech.