Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026
10:38
A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
Published on: July 16, 2015
14.1K
An age-related deficit in resolving interference: Evidence from speech perception.
Avanti Dey1, Mitchell S Sommers1, Lynn Hasher2
1Department of Psychology, Washington University in Saint Louis.
Psychology and Aging
|September 12, 2017
Summary
Older adults struggle with speech and memory due to reduced suppression of interfering information. This study shows younger adults suppress competitors, while older adults do not, impacting perception.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Aging
- Speech Perception
Background:
- Speech perception and memory retrieval are impaired by noise and interference, especially in older adults.
- Age-related memory failures are linked to difficulties in resolving interference between similar representations.
- Suppression of irrelevant information is a proposed mechanism to overcome interference.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if competitor suppression underlies age-related differences in speech and memory interference.
- To test the hypothesis that resolving interference involves suppressing competitors, making them less intelligible in noise.
- To examine the impact of age on the ability to suppress competing representations.
Main Methods:
- A word-fragment completion task was used with target/competitor pairs (e.g., ALLERGY/ANALOGY).
- Participants solved word fragments, some resolvable only by the target word.
- Word identification in noise was assessed, including previously rejected competitor words.
Main Results:
- Younger adults showed reduced accuracy for competitor words, indicating successful suppression.
- Older adults demonstrated increased accuracy for competitor words compared to younger adults.
- This suggests older adults have a reduced ability to suppress competing representations.
Conclusions:
- Age-related difficulties in speech perception and memory may stem from impaired suppression of interfering information.
- Inhibitory control deficits in older adults lead to sustained access to lexical traces, affecting perception.
- Findings support the inhibitory control theory of cognitive aging and its implications for speech processing.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:16Interference and Decay
508
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
508
01:10Interference: Path Lengths
2.3K
Consider two sources of sound, that may or may not be in phase, emitting waves at a single frequency, and consider the frequencies to be the same.
Two special sources may be considered when they are in phase. This can be easily achieved by feeding the two sources from the same source. An example would be synchronizing the two speakers by feeding them with the same source, such as the sound waves produced by a tuning fork. This setup ensures that the two sources have the same frequency and are...
Two special sources may be considered when they are in phase. This can be easily achieved by feeding the two sources from the same source. An example would be synchronizing the two speakers by feeding them with the same source, such as the sound waves produced by a tuning fork. This setup ensures that the two sources have the same frequency and are...
2.3K
01:17Auditory Perception
1.2K
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the...
1.2K
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
3.9K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
3.9K
01:27Language and Cognition
852
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
852
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
962
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
962