Introduction -- Speech Quality Fundamentals -- Speech Quality Assessment -- Functional Model of Quality Perception -- Discrimination of Speech Quality Change Along Perceptual Dimensions -- Talker Identification Under Varying Speech Quality and Spatialization -- General Discussion and Outlook -- Conclusion.

This book provides a new multi-method, process-oriented approach towards speech quality assessment, which allows readers to examine the influence of speech transmission quality on a variety of perceptual and cognitive processes in human listeners. Fundamental concepts and methodologies surrounding the topic of process-oriented quality assessment are introduced and discussed. The book further describes a functional process model of human quality perception, which theoretically integrates results obtained in three experimental studies. This book's conceptual ideas, empirical findings, and theoretical interpretations should be of particular interest to researchers working in the fields of Quality and Usability Engineering, Audio Engineering, Psychoacoustics, Audiology, and Psychophysiology. Presents a new process-oriented approach towards speech quality assessment to uncover influences of speech transmission quality on human information processing; Proposes a multi-method assessment approach including subjective, behavioral, and neurophysiological levels of analysis; Reports findings from three experimental studies, that demonstrate interactions between perceived speech quality, contextual, and content-related influencing factors.