Question about spec lighting

Sorel

I was fiddling around with the light set that came with G2F Starter Essentials and noticed the spec light was set to ray traced shadows and had shadow softness applied. I did a render with the settings it had and then another with no shadows applied to the spec lighting but I dont think I noticed any real difference. Does having shadows applied to spec lights really do anything?

evilded777

It really shouldn't. If it does, someone better explain the physics of that to me.