Abstract. Alarm systems may take advantage of the tactile modality for allocation of attentional resources during the performance of demanding tasks in complex environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a tactile warning during increasing levels of mental workload in a primary task. Three simulated flight task conditions varying in mental workload were presented while an “on-thigh” vibrotactile warning was randomly assessed. Generally, there was a decrement in overall warning response performance when task workload increased, but this tendency faded and plateaued as the level of task workload progressed. The observed pattern indicates that vibrotactile warning signals may offer a plausible mode for conveying information during increasing levels of primary task workload.
Purpose
The study aimed to investigate the relationship between speech recognition in noise, age, hearing ability, self-rated listening effort, inhibitory control (measured with the Swedish Hayling task), and working memory capacity (WMC; measured with the Reading Span test). Two different speech materials were used: the Hagerman test with low semantic context and Hearing in Noise Test sentences with high semantic context, masked with either energetic or informational maskers.
Method
A mixed design was used. Twenty-four young normally hearing (
M
age
= 25.6 years) and 24 older, for their age, normally hearing individuals (
M
age
= 60.6 years) participated in the study. Speech recognition in noise in both speech materials and self-rated effort in all four background maskers were correlated with inhibitory control and WMC. A linear mixed-effects model was set up to assess differences between the two different speech materials, the four different maskers used in the study, and if age and hearing ability affected performance in the speech materials or the various background noises.
Results
Results showed that high WMC was related to lower scores of self-rated listening effort for informational maskers, as well as better performance in speech recognition in noise when informational maskers were used. The linear mixed-effects model revealed differences in performance between the low-context and the high-context speech materials, and the various maskers used. Lastly, inhibitory control had some impact on performance in the low-context speech material when masked with an informational masker.
Conclusion
Different background noises, especially informational maskers, affect speech recognition and self-rated listening effort differently depending on age, hearing ability, and individual variation in WMC and inhibitory control.
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