Visual induction of spatial release from masking during speech perception in noise

Spatially separating target and masker talkers improves speech perception in noise, an effect known as spatial release from masking (SRM). Independently, the perceived location of a sound can erroneously shift towards an associated but spatially displaced visual stimulus (the "ventriloquist effect"). This study investigated whether SRM can be induced by spatially separating visual stimuli associated with a target and masker without separating the sound sources themselves. Results showed that SRM was not induced by spatially separated visual stimuli, but collocated visual stimuli reduced the benefit of auditory SRM. There was no influence of individual differences in auditory localization ability on effects related to the visual stimuli.