Definition of Lombard effect
The Lombard effect or Lombard reflex is the involuntary tendency of speakers to increase their vocal effort when speaking in loud noise to enhance the audibility of their voice. This change includes not only loudness but also other acoustic features such as pitch, rate, and duration of syllables. This compensation effect maintains the auditory signal-to-noise ratio of the speaker's spoken words.
The effect links to the needs of effective communication, as there is a reduced effect when words are repeated or lists are read where communication intelligibility is not important. Since the effect is involuntary it is used as a means to detect malingering in those simulating hearing loss. Research on birds and monkeys find that the effect also occurs in the vocalizations of animals.
The effect was discovered in 1909 by Étienne Lombard, a French otolaryngologist.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Lombard effect?
The Lombard effect or Lombard reflex is the involuntary tendency of speakers to increase their vocal effort when speaking in loud noise to enhance the audibility of their voice.
Sources & credits
- Wikipedia: Lombard effect – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden – CC BY 2.0