What does a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) indicate for speech understanding?

A higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) indicates that the speech signal is considerably stronger compared to the background noise, which leads to improved speech understanding. In environments where there is noise present, a higher SNR means that the listener can better distinguish the important auditory information (the speech) from irrelevant sounds (the background noise). When the signal is clearer and more pronounced against a quieter background, cognitive resources can focus more on comprehension rather than effortful listening, resulting in easier understanding of spoken language. This principle is critical in settings like classrooms or social gatherings, where effective communication is essential.