ASA 129th Meeting - Washington, DC - 1995 May 30 .. Jun 06

3pPP8. Combining ratings and paired comparisons in hearing aid evaluation.

Harry Levitt

Arlene C. Neuman

Christopher Oden

Ctr. for Res. in Speech and Hear. Sci., Graduate School and Univ. Ctr., City Univ. of New York, 33 W. 42nd St., New York, NY 10036

The method of paired comparisons is a rapid and efficient technique which has proven to be useful in hearing aid evaluation. In the conventional application of the technique, the subject is limited to a binary decision. Greater efficiency can be obtained if, in addition, a confidence rating is obtained. A method for combining confidence ratings with paired-comparison data is provided. Data are presented in which a set of hearing aids differing in compression characteristics (compression ratio, release time) was evaluated by the traditional paired-comparison technique and the paired-comparison plus rating technique. Data will also be presented on the relative precision and efficiency of the two techniques.