The correlation between auditory speech sensitivity and speaker recognition ability

Abstract

In various applications of forensic phonetics the question arises as to how far aural-perceptual speaker recognition performance is reliable. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the relationship between speaker recognition results and human perception/production abilities like musicality or speech sensitivity. In this study, performance in a speaker recognition experiment and a speech sensitivity test are correlated. The results show a moderately significant positive correlation between the two tasks. Generally, performance in the speaker recognition task was better than in the speech sensitivity test. Professionals in speech and singing yielded a more homogeneous correlation than non-experts. Training in speech as well as choir-singing seems to have a positive effect on performance in speaker recognition. It may be concluded, firstly, that in cases where the reliability of voice line-up results or the credibility of a testimony have to be considered, the speech sensitivity test could be a useful indicator. Secondly, the speech sensitivity test might be integrated into the canon of possible procedures for the accreditation of forensic phoneticians. Both tests may also be used in combination.

Testing realistic forensic speaker identification in Japanese: a likelihood ratio-based approach using formants

“…An earwitness is called for voice line-up and asked whether he /she recognises any of the voices presented as the voice they heard at the crime scene. How objective and accurate naive auditory speaker identification has been questioned by many (for instance, see Goggin et al 1991;Goldstein et al 1981;Hollien 1990;Hollien et al 1995;Koster and Schiller 1996;Koster and Schiller 1997;Koster and Schiller 1998;Kiinzel 1994;Ktinzel 1995;Ladefoged 1978;Ladefoged and Ladefoged 1980;Laubstein 1997;Markham 1999;Nolan 1990;Rose and Duncan 1995;Schiller et al 1997).…”

“…In forensic situations, it is not possible to have control over those abilities of the earwitnesses. Although it may be possible to weigh testimonies made by earwitnesses, as Koster et al (1998) report that the ability to recognise speakers correlates with the results of Pahn and Pahn's (1991) test on speech sensitivity, much further research is necessary for the establishment of a methodology of weighting.…”