Contribution
Evaluating the Role of Engagement in Speech Quality Sensitivity: Insights from Active and Passive Listener Ratings
* Presenting author
Abstract:
We hypothesize that the cognitive load and heightened attentional demands of active participation in conversations amplify sensitivity to speech quality degradations. This heightened sensitivity is anticipated to yield distinct rating patterns between active speakers—who are directly engaged in dialogue—and passive listeners, who focus solely on listening without contributing to the interaction.Our analysis leverages data from a comprehensive laboratory study with over 120 participants, where conversations were subjected to varying quality degradations. A subsequent passive listening evaluation using the ITU-T P.800 standardized listening-only test provides a complementary perspective on quality perception for the same speech samples.By juxtaposing the ratings from active and passive listener groups, this study investigates how engagement and cognitive load influence the perception of speech quality. We anticipate that active participants, due to increased cognitive demands, may exhibit heightened sensitivity to specific quality degradations. This research ultimately aims to elucidate the interaction between cognitive engagement and auditory quality perception, offering insights for more accurate assessments of conversational audio quality.