The role of working memory in speech recognition by hearing-impaired older listeners: does the task matter?

Abstract

Objective

Working memory refers to a cognitive system that holds a limited amount of information in a temporarily heightened state of availability, for use in ongoing cognitive tasks. Research suggests a link between working memory and speech recognition. In this study, we investigated this relationship using two working memory tests that differed in regard to the operationalisation of the link between working memory and attention: the auditory visual divided attention test (AVDAT) and the widely used reading span test.

Design

The relationship between speech-in-noise recognition and working memory was examined for two different working memory tests that varied in methodological and theoretical aspects, using a within-subject design.

Study sample

Nineteen hearing-impaired older listeners participated.

Results

We found a strong link between the reading span test and speech-in-noise recognition and a less robust link between the AVDAT and speech-in-noise recognition. There was evidence for the role of selective attention in speech-in-noise recognition, shown via the new AVDAT measure.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that the strength of the relationship between speech-in-noise recognition and working memory may be influenced by the match between the demands and the stimuli of the speech-in-noise task and those of the working memory test.

Keywords:

• Working memory
• selective and divided attention
• speech-in-noise recognition
• working memory measures
• behavioral measures
• speech perception

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Patrick Zacher and Kendra Marks for their assistance during data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

This study was reviewed by the Northwestern University Institutional Review Board (IRB number STU00203677).

Informed consent from participants

Each participant received verbal and written description of the study and written informed consent was obtained from participants prior to the commencement of the study.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [DS], upon reasonable request.

Notes

1 It should be noted that the original measures developed by Cowan et al. (2006) include only tasks that tap into selective attention, whereas the AVDAT involves both selective and divided attention tasks.

2 Unless the tester had audibility concerns due to a sloping hearing loss.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by NIH R01 DC006014 and NIH R01 DC012289 and by the Knowles Hearing Center.