# Speaking rate normalization with and without spatial segregation of simultaneous context sentences

## TL;DR

This study investigates how the brain processes speech rate normalization when listening to one or two simultaneous speakers, with or without spatial separation.

## Contribution

The study shows that spatial separation of simultaneous sentences does not influence temporal contrast effects in speech perception.

## Key findings

- TCE magnitudes were similar across all listening conditions.
- Spatial separation of simultaneous sentences does not shape TCEs.
- Dichotic presentation did not enhance TCEs compared to diotic presentation.

## Abstract

Fast-rate speech can encourage perception of subsequent speech as longer-duration (e.g., longer voice onset time) and vice versa. Bosker, Sjerps, and Reinisch [Sci. Rep. 10(1), 5607 (2020)] suggested that these temporal contrast effects (TCEs) (also known as speaking rate normalization) were immune to selective attention (to one of two simultaneous talkers). However, dichotic presentation of different talkers facilitated perception. Here, trials presented the same talker throughout speaking one sentence diotically, two simultaneous sentences diotically, or those two sentences dichotically before target words. TCE magnitudes were similar across all conditions, which suggests that spatial separation of simultaneous sentences does not shape TCEs.