Abstract :
[en] Introduction : Public speaking (PS) is a widespread vocal activity required in many personal and professional situations. Its quality can impact one’s career success, reputation, and credibility (1). However, little is known about which voice characteristics are representative of PS (2). Objective : This presentation aims to determine the acoustic characteristics of the PS voice by analyzing frequency parameters as well as long-term spectral features. Methods : We conducted acoustic analyses on the speech productions of 65 university students in two conditions: (1) reading aloud a phonetically balanced text (control), and (2) giving a one-minute oral presentation in front of an 8-people audience (PS). Preliminary results: Paired t-tests indicated a significantly enhanced vocal quality in the PS condition compared to the control condition, as evidenced by increased CPPS, spectral slope and center of gravity values. We found a significant effect of condition on intonation as evidenced by an increased f0 SD in the PS task. No significant difference was found for median f0. Conclusion: These findings suggest the existence of acoustic characteristics specific to PS that could be associated with Lombard speech (3) and clear speech (4). The two speaking styles are used in challenging communication situations to optimize intelligibility.
1. Ferreira Marinho, A. C., Mesquita de Medeiros, A., Côrtes Gama, A. C., & Caldas Teixeira, L.
(2017). Fear of public speaking: Perception of college students and correlates. Journal of Voice, 31(1), 7-11.
2. Niebuhr, O., Skarnitzl, R., & Tylečková, L. (2018). The acoustic fingerprint of a charismatic voice : Initial evidence from correlations between long-term spectral features and listener ratings. 9th International Conference on Speech Prosody,359-363.
3. Garnier, M., & Henrich, N. (2014). Speaking in noise: How does the Lombard effect improve
acoustic contrasts between speech and ambient noise?. Computer Speech & Language, 28(2), 580-597.
4. Krause, J. C., & Braida, L. D. (2004). Acoustic properties of naturally produced clear speech at normal speaking rates. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 115(1), 362-378.
Disciplines :
Social & behavioral sciences, psychology: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Communication & mass media