The role of attentional abilities in lexically guided perceptual learning by older listeners

Abstract

This study investigates two variables that may modify lexically guided perceptual learning: individual hearing sensitivity and attentional abilities. Older Dutch listeners (aged 60+ years, varying from good hearing to mild-tomoderate high-frequency hearing loss) were tested on a lexically guided perceptual learning task using the contrast [f]- [s]. This contrast mainly differentiates between the two consonants in the higher frequencies, and thus is supposedly challenging for listeners with hearing loss. The analyses showed that older listeners generally engage in lexically guided perceptual learning. Hearing loss and selective attention did not modify perceptual learning in our participant sample, while attention-switching control did: listeners with poorer attention-switching control showed a stronger perceptual learning effect. We postulate that listeners with better attention-switching control may, in general, rely more strongly on bottom-up acoustic information compared to listeners with poorer attention-switching control, making them in turn less susceptible to lexically guided perceptual learning. Our results, moreover, clearly show that lexically guided perceptual learning is not lost when acoustic processing is less accurate.

The Role of Lexical Status and Individual Differences for Perceptual Learning in Younger and Older Adults

“…Taken together, these findings suggest that individuals with better attention-switching control alternate their attention between the acoustic signal and the lexical decision task, while those with poorer attention-switching control remained focused on the task, which is beneficial for lexically-guided learning. We expect to replicate the findings of Scharenborg et al (2015), such that older adults with poorer attention-switching control will show more learning in the lexically-guided learning task.…”

“…Scharenborg et al (2015) found that older adults with poorer attention-switching control show more learning-consistent behaviour than those with better attention-switching control. Taken together, these findings suggest that individuals with better attention-switching control alternate their attention between the acoustic signal and the lexical decision task, while those with poorer attention-switching control remained focused on the task, which is beneficial for lexically-guided learning.…”

“…Previous studies investigating perceptual learning in older adults have found evidence for individual differences in the influence of cognitive abilities on learning (Scharenborg, Weber, & Janse, 2015). We focus here on several aspects of executive and cognitive functioning that may play a role in maintaining perceptual flexibility, including attention-switching control, working memory, vocabulary size, and hearing-in-noise ability.…”

“…Six participants (Mage=21.0) piloted the test continuum in a 2AFC task to ensure the category boundary fell in the middle of the continuum. After piloting and based on previous work (Scharenborg & Janse, 2013;Scharenborg et al, 2015), steps 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10 were chosen from the original 11-step continuum for use in the pre-and post-tests.…”

“…While hearing sensitivity has not been found to play a specific role in lexically-guided learning (Scharenborg et al, 2015), distributional learning may rely more on perceptual acuity and thus hearing sensitivity may be related to the amount of learning seen in such a task. We also include a measure of hearing-in-noise ability, the Speech in Noise Test (SPIN, Bilger, Nuetzel, Rabinowitz, & Rzeczkowski, 1984).…”