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Effects of word predictability, child development, and aging on time-gated speech recognition performance
C H Craig1, B W Kim, P M Rhyner
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Milwaukee, WI 53201.
Journal of Speech and Hearing Research
|August 1, 1993
Summary
Linguistic context significantly impacts speech perception across ages. Predictability-high words are recognized faster, with this effect more pronounced in older adults and children, highlighting developmental and aging influences on auditory processing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience of Language
Background:
- Speech perception relies on integrating acoustic-phonetic cues with linguistic context.
- The interplay between acoustic-phonetic and contextual information may vary across the lifespan.
- Understanding age-related differences in speech processing is crucial for cognitive science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how acoustic-phonetic information interacts with linguistic context in real-time speech perception.
- To examine age-related differences in this interaction across five distinct age groups.
- To determine the influence of word predictability on speech recognition timing and confidence.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time-gated monosyllabic target words within sentence contexts of varying predictability.
- Compared speech recognition performance across five age groups: young children (5-7), older children (8-10), young adults (18-23), and older adults (60-69, 70-83).
- Analyzed the influence of predictability-high (PH) and predictability-low (PL) words on recognition processes.
Main Results:
- Word predictability significantly affected the timing and nature of real-time speech recognition.
- Predictability-high words were recognized earlier and with greater confidence than predictability-low words.
- The impact of predictability on recognition was more pronounced in children and older adults, indicating developmental and aging effects.
Conclusions:
- Linguistic context, specifically word predictability, plays a critical role in modulating acoustic-phonetic processing during speech perception.
- Age-related changes in cognitive and auditory systems influence the reliance on contextual information.
- Older adults require more predictable contexts for accurate word recognition, while older children demonstrate more efficient use of predictability than younger children.