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A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
Published on: July 16, 2015
When cognition kicks in: working memory and speech understanding in noise
Jerker Rönnberg1, Mary Rudner, Thomas Lunner
1Linnaeus Centre Head, The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Snekkersten, Denmark. jerker.ronnberg@liu.se
Noise & Health
|September 28, 2010
Summary
Cognitive load impacts speech understanding in noise. High working memory (WM) capacity individuals benefit more from speech processing aids, especially in challenging listening conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Speech Perception
Background:
- Perceptual and cognitive load are distinct factors influencing speech comprehension in noisy environments.
- The Ease of Language Understanding model highlights the interplay between perceptual task demands and an individual's phonological processing abilities.
- Phonological precision and lexical access speed are critical for effective listening under adverse conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dissociable effects of perceptual and cognitive load on speech understanding in noise.
- To examine how working memory (WM) capacities mediate the relationship between phonological mismatches and cognitive load during speech perception.
- To explore the role of modulated noise maskers in inducing explicit processing modes and their impact on speech intelligibility.
Main Methods:
- Manipulation of perceptual load and cognitive load independently.
- Assessment of phonological processing, lexical access speed, and working memory (WM) capacities.
- Utilizing modulated noise maskers to investigate their effect on speech processing and WM engagement.
Main Results:
- Mismatches between perceived phonological elements and long-term memory representations trigger working memory (WM) engagement for discourse inference.
- The degree of cognitive load is contingent upon an individual's WM storage and processing capabilities.
- Individuals with high WM capacity show greater benefits from fast amplitude compression in low or negative speech-to-noise ratios.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant interaction between the primary listening task's processing goals and the demands placed on cognitive resources by secondary tasks.
- Working memory (WM) plays a crucial role in overcoming phonological uncertainty and maintaining speech comprehension in noisy environments.
- Individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity modulate the effectiveness of speech enhancement strategies in challenging auditory conditions.
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