Robust relationship between reading span and speech recognition in noise

Abstract

Objective: Working memory refers to a cognitive system that manages information processing and temporary storage. Recent work has demonstrated that individual differences in working memory capacity measured using a reading span task are related to ability to recognize speech in noise. In this project, we investigated whether the specific implementation of the reading span task influenced the strength of the relationship between working memory capacity and speech recognition. Design: The relationship between speech recognition and working memory capacity was examined for two different working memory tests that varied in approach, using a within-subject design. Data consisted of audiometric results along with the two different working memory tests; one speech-in-noise test; and a reading comprehension test. Study sample: The test group included 94 older adults with varying hearing loss and 30 younger adults with normal hearing. Results: Listeners with poorer working memory capacity had more difficulty understanding speech in noise after accounting for age and degree of hearing loss. That relationship did not differ significantly between the two different implementations of reading span. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that different implementations of a verbal reading span task do not affect the strength of the relationship between working memory capacity and speech recognition.

Key Words::

• Hearing
• age
• working memory
• cognition

Notes

Acknowledgements

A portion of these data were presented at the Aging and Speech Communication conference, Bloomington, Indiana, USA. October 2013. The authors are grateful to Akira Miyake for sharing Test B and for his guidance throughout this study. We also thank Sean Flowers, Laura Mathews, Katie Miller, Ramesh Kumar Muralimanohar, and Cory Portnuff for assistance with data collection; Thomas Lunner and Jerker Rönnberg for sharing Test A; John Lurquin for his help preparing test materials; and Rosalinda Baca for advice on statistical analysis.

Declaration of interest: Work was supported by NIH grant R01 DC012289.

Notes

1. The cognitive process which underlies perception and comprehension (Craik F.I.M. & Lockhart R.S. 1972. Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11, 671–684.)

2. Average of pure-tone thresholds (PTA) at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz

3. Sub-analyses indicated a significant relationship between speech recognition and working memory for the uncertain (r = −.48, p = .01) and last (r = − .62, p < .01) conditions. The relationship was non-significant for the first condition (r = −.16, p = .40), probably due to the smaller range of working memory scores.