201
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Foroughi CK, Barragán D, Boehm-Davis DA. Interrupted reading and working memory capacity. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN MEMORY AND COGNITION 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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202
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Abstract
Understanding how stress and performance are reciprocally linked may contribute to alleviating operator stress. A study of individual differences in stress and working memory is reported. 112 participants performed a demanding working memory task on four occasions. Subjective stress state was assessed with the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire (DSSQ: Matthews et al., 1998). The task elicited changes in subjective state that included increased distress, although the magnitude of subjective stress responses tended to decrease over time. Working memory tasks may be intrinsically stressful, although operators are able to adapt to task demands to some extent. Several DSSQ scales correlated with performance on the task. Control and confidence was associated with a general facilitation of performance on all four days of testing. Energetic arousal also tended to facilitate performance, but the effect was contingent on task parameters, consistent with attentional resource theory. The data indicate which dimensions of stress should be targeted for intervention in real-world applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Matthews
- Department of Psychology University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 45221
| | - Sian E. Campbell
- Department of Psychology University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton WV1 1SB, England
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203
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Development of the Word Auditory Recognition and Recall Measure: A Working Memory Test for Use in Rehabilitative Audiology. Ear Hear 2016; 37:e360-e376. [DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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204
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Hannon B. General and non-general intelligence factors simultaneously influence SAT, SAT-V, and SAT-M performance. INTELLIGENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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205
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López Zunini RA, Knoefel F, Lord C, Dzuali F, Breau M, Sweet L, Goubran R, Taler V. Event-related potentials elicited during working memory are altered in mild cognitive impairment. Int J Psychophysiol 2016; 109:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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206
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Santos S, Cadime I, Viana FL, Chaves-Sousa S, Gayo E, Maia J, Ribeiro I. Assessing reading comprehension with narrative and expository texts: Dimensionality and relationship with fluency, vocabulary and memory. Scand J Psychol 2016; 58:1-8. [PMID: 27775156 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Reading comprehension assessment should rely on valid instruments that enable adequate conclusions to be taken regarding students' reading comprehension performance. In this article, two studies were conducted to collect validity evidence for the vertically scaled forms of two Tests of Reading Comprehension for Portuguese elementary school students in the second to fourth grades, one with narrative texts (TRC-n) and another with expository ones (TRC-e). Two samples of 950 and 990 students participated in Study 1, the study of the dimensionality of the TRC-n and TRC-e forms, respectively. Confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence of an acceptable fit for the one-factor solution for all test forms. Study 2 included 218 students to collect criterion-related validity. The scores obtained in each of the test forms were significantly correlated with the ones obtained in other reading comprehension measures and with the results obtained in oral reading fluency, vocabulary and working memory tests. Evidence suggests that the test forms are valid measures of reading comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Santos
- School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Irene Cadime
- Institute of Education, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | | | | | - Elena Gayo
- University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Portugal
| | - José Maia
- Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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207
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Blything LP, Cain K. Children's processing and comprehension of complex sentences containing temporal connectives: The influence of memory on the time course of accurate responses. Dev Psychol 2016; 52:1517-1529. [PMID: 27690492 PMCID: PMC5047371 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In a touch-screen paradigm, we recorded 3- to 7-year-olds' (N = 108) accuracy and response times (RTs) to assess their comprehension of 2-clause sentences containing before and after. Children were influenced by order: performance was most accurate when the presentation order of the 2 clauses matched the chronological order of events: "She drank the juice, before she walked in the park" (chronological order) versus "Before she walked in the park, she drank the juice" (reverse order). Differences in RTs for correct responses varied by sentence type: accurate responses were made more speedily for sentences that afforded an incremental processing of meaning. An independent measure of memory predicted this pattern of performance. We discuss these findings in relation to children's knowledge of connective meaning and the processing requirements of sentences containing temporal connectives. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kate Cain
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University
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208
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Bailey S, Hoeft F, Aboud K, Cutting L. Anomalous gray matter patterns in specific reading comprehension deficit are independent of dyslexia. ANNALS OF DYSLEXIA 2016; 66:256-274. [PMID: 27324343 PMCID: PMC5061587 DOI: 10.1007/s11881-015-0114-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Specific reading comprehension deficit (SRCD) affects up to 10 % of all children. SRCD is distinct from dyslexia (DYS) in that individuals with SRCD show poor comprehension despite adequate decoding skills. Despite its prevalence and considerable behavioral research, there is not yet a unified cognitive profile of SRCD. While its neuroanatomical basis is unknown, SRCD could be anomalous in regions subserving their commonly reported cognitive weaknesses in semantic processing or executive function. Here we investigated, for the first time, patterns of gray matter volume difference in SRCD as compared to DYS and typical developing (TD) adolescent readers (N = 41). A linear support vector machine algorithm was applied to whole brain gray matter volumes generated through voxel-based morphometry. As expected, DYS differed significantly from TD in a pattern that included features from left fusiform and supramarginal gyri (DYS vs. TD: 80.0 %, p < 0.01). SRCD was well differentiated not only from TD (92.5 %, p < 0.001) but also from DYS (88.0 %, p < 0.001). Of particular interest were findings of reduced gray matter volume in right frontal areas that were also supported by univariate analysis. These areas are thought to subserve executive processes relevant for reading, such as monitoring and manipulating mental representations. Thus, preliminary analyses suggest that SRCD readers possess a distinct neural profile compared to both TD and DYS readers and that these differences might be linked to domain-general abilities. This work provides a foundation for further investigation into variants of reading disability beyond DYS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Bailey
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, 416C One Magnolia Circle, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California in San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, Box 0984-F, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Katherine Aboud
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, 416C One Magnolia Circle, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Laurie Cutting
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, 416C One Magnolia Circle, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
- Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 416C One Magnolia Circle, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, 416C One Magnolia Circle, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, 416C One Magnolia Circle, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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209
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Hamilton S, Freed E, Long DL. Word-Decoding Skill Interacts With Working Memory Capacity to Influence Inference Generation During Reading. READING RESEARCH QUARTERLY 2016; 51:391-402. [PMID: 27833213 PMCID: PMC5098811 DOI: 10.1002/rrq.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine predictions derived from a proposal about the relation between word-decoding skill and working memory capacity, called verbal efficiency theory. The theory states that poor word representations and slow decoding processes consume resources in working memory that would otherwise be used to execute high-level comprehension processes, such as the generation of inferences. Previous research has yielded inconsistent findings about the importance of word decoding in adult readers, and the hypothesis has never been tested experimentally. Verbal efficiency theory was tested in this experiment by manipulating the difficulty of grapheme-phoneme conversion and assessing the extent to which readers made bridging inferences. Participants read two-sentence passages and then responded to lexical decision targets. Some of the passages required a bridging inference to integrate the first and second sentences. Decoding difficulty was manipulated such that the second sentence in some passages was written using pseudohomophones. Participants also received tasks to assess their working memory capacity and decoding ability. Inference priming was found in both the Standard American English and pseudohomophone contexts but was stronger in the former than in the latter. The advantage in priming for the Standard English relative to the pseudohomophone condition was predicted by an interaction between decoding skill and working memory capacity. Poor decoders who scored high on the span tests were less impaired by the pseudohomophone manipulation than were poor decoders who scored low on the tests. The results suggest that working memory capacity compensates for poor decoding skills even among proficient adult readers.
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210
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Füllgrabe C, Rosen S. On The (Un)importance of Working Memory in Speech-in-Noise Processing for Listeners with Normal Hearing Thresholds. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1268. [PMID: 27625615 PMCID: PMC5003928 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of cognitive hearing science, increased attention has been given to individual differences in cognitive functioning and their explanatory power in accounting for inter-listener variability in the processing of speech in noise (SiN). The psychological construct that has received much interest in recent years is working memory. Empirical evidence indeed confirms the association between WM capacity (WMC) and SiN identification in older hearing-impaired listeners. However, some theoretical models propose that variations in WMC are an important predictor for variations in speech processing abilities in adverse perceptual conditions for all listeners, and this notion has become widely accepted within the field. To assess whether WMC also plays a role when listeners without hearing loss process speech in adverse listening conditions, we surveyed published and unpublished studies in which the Reading-Span test (a widely used measure of WMC) was administered in conjunction with a measure of SiN identification, using sentence material routinely used in audiological and hearing research. A meta-analysis revealed that, for young listeners with audiometrically normal hearing, individual variations in WMC are estimated to account for, on average, less than 2% of the variance in SiN identification scores. This result cautions against the (intuitively appealing) assumption that individual variations in WMC are predictive of SiN identification independently of the age and hearing status of the listener.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Füllgrabe
- Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research, The University of NottinghamNottingham, UK
| | - Stuart Rosen
- Speech,Hearing and Phonetic Sciences, University College LondonLondon, UK
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211
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Gregg N. Book Review: Specific Learning Disabilities and Difficulties in Children and Adolescents: Psychological Assessment and Evaluation. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/0734282905282840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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212
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Wassenburg SI, de Koning BB, de Vries MH, van der Schoot M. Does the Component Processes Task Assess Text-Based Inferences Important for Reading Comprehension? A Path Analysis in Primary School Children. Front Psychol 2016; 7:895. [PMID: 27378989 PMCID: PMC4906010 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a component processes task (CPT) that differentiates between higher-level cognitive processes of reading comprehension provides important advantages over commonly used general reading comprehension assessments. The present study contributes to further development of the CPT by evaluating the relative contributions of its components (text memory, text inferencing, and knowledge integration) and working memory to general reading comprehension within a single study using path analyses. Participants were 173 third- and fourth-grade children. As hypothesized, knowledge integration was the only component of the CPT that directly contributed to reading comprehension, indicating that the text-inferencing component did not assess inferential processes related to reading comprehension. Working memory was a significant predictor of reading comprehension over and above the component processes. Future research should focus on finding ways to ensure that the text-inferencing component taps into processes important for reading comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie I Wassenburg
- Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Björn B de Koning
- Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, VU University AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Erasmus University RotterdamRotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Meinou H de Vries
- Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Menno van der Schoot
- Department of Educational Neuroscience and LEARN! Research Institute for Learning and Education, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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213
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Holmer E, Heimann M, Rudner M. Theory of Mind and Reading Comprehension in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Signing Children. Front Psychol 2016; 7:854. [PMID: 27375532 PMCID: PMC4894876 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory of Mind (ToM) is related to reading comprehension in hearing children. In the present study, we investigated progression in ToM in Swedish deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) signing children who were learning to read, as well as the association of ToM with reading comprehension. Thirteen children at Swedish state primary schools for DHH children performed a Swedish Sign Language (SSL) version of the Wellman and Liu (2004) ToM scale, along with tests of reading comprehension, SSL comprehension, and working memory. Results indicated that ToM progression did not differ from that reported in previous studies, although ToM development was delayed despite age-appropriate sign language skills. Correlation analysis revealed that ToM was associated with reading comprehension and working memory, but not sign language comprehension. We propose that some factor not investigated in the present study, possibly represented by inference making constrained by working memory capacity, supports both ToM and reading comprehension and may thus explain the results observed in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Holmer
- Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mikael Heimann
- Infant and Child Lab, Division of Psychology and Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mary Rudner
- Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University Linköping, Sweden
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214
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215
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van der Graaf J, Segers E, Verhoeven L. Scientific reasoning in kindergarten: Cognitive factors in experimentation and evidence evaluation. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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216
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Hearing Impairment and Cognitive Energy: The Framework for Understanding Effortful Listening (FUEL). Ear Hear 2016; 37 Suppl 1:5S-27S. [DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 541] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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217
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Abstract
Working memory capacity is one of the most frequently measured individual difference constructs in cognitive psychology and related fields. However, implementation of complex span and other working memory measures is generally time-consuming for administrators and examinees alike. Because researchers often must manage the tension between limited testing time and measuring numerous constructs reliably, a short and effective measure of working memory capacity would often be a major practical benefit in future research efforts. The current study developed a shortened computerized domain-general measure of working memory capacity by representatively sampling items from three existing complex working memory span tasks: operation span, reading span, and symmetry span. Using a large archival data set (Study 1, N = 4,845), we developed and applied a principled strategy for developing the reduced measure, based on testing a series of confirmatory factor analysis models. Adequate fit indices from these models lent support to this strategy. The resulting shortened measure was then administered to a second independent sample (Study 2, N = 172), demonstrating that the new measure saves roughly 15 min (30%) of testing time on average, and even up to 25 min depending on the test-taker. On the basis of these initial promising findings, several directions for future research are discussed.
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218
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Kanerva K, Kalakoski V. The Predictive Utility of a Working Memory Span Task Depends on Processing Demand and the Cognitive Task. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaisa Kanerva
- University of Helsinki; Institute of Behavioural Sciences; Finland
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219
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Effects of Noise Level and Cognitive Function on Speech Perception in Normal Elderly and Elderly with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Cogn Behav Neurol 2016; 29:68-77. [DOI: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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220
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Amichetti NM, White AG, Wingfield A. Multiple Solutions to the Same Problem: Utilization of Plausibility and Syntax in Sentence Comprehension by Older Adults with Impaired Hearing. Front Psychol 2016; 7:789. [PMID: 27303346 PMCID: PMC4884746 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental question in psycholinguistic theory is whether equivalent success in sentence comprehension may come about by different underlying operations. Of special interest is whether adult aging, especially when accompanied by reduced hearing acuity, may shift the balance of reliance on formal syntax vs. plausibility in determining sentence meaning. In two experiments participants were asked to identify the thematic roles in grammatical sentences that contained either plausible or implausible semantic relations. Comprehension of sentence meanings was indexed by the ability to correctly name the agent or the recipient of an action represented in the sentence. In Experiment 1 young and older adults’ comprehension was tested for plausible and implausible sentences with the meaning expressed with either an active-declarative or a passive syntactic form. In Experiment 2 comprehension performance was examined for young adults with age-normal hearing, older adults with good hearing acuity, and age-matched older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss for plausible or implausible sentences with meaning expressed with either a subject-relative (SR) or an object-relative (OR) syntactic structure. Experiment 1 showed that the likelihood of interpreting a sentence according to its literal meaning was reduced when that meaning expressed an implausible relationship. Experiment 2 showed that this likelihood was further decreased for OR as compared to SR sentences, and especially so for older adults whose hearing impairment added to the perceptual challenge. Experiment 2 also showed that working memory capacity as measured with a letter-number sequencing task contributed to the likelihood that listeners would base their comprehension responses on the literal syntax even when this processing scheme yielded an implausible meaning. Taken together, the results of both experiments support the postulate that listeners may use more than a single uniform processing strategy for successful sentence comprehension, with the existence of these alternative solutions only revealed when literal syntax and plausibility do not coincide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Amichetti
- Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham MA, USA
| | - Alison G White
- Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham MA, USA
| | - Arthur Wingfield
- Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham MA, USA
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221
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Engelhardt PE, Nigg JT, Ferreira F. Executive function and intelligence in the resolution of temporary syntactic ambiguity: an individual differences investigation. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2016; 70:1263-1281. [PMID: 27150661 DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2016.1178785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In the current study, we examined the role of intelligence and executive functions in the resolution of temporary syntactic ambiguity using an individual differences approach. Data were collected from 174 adolescents and adults who completed a battery of cognitive tests as well as a sentence comprehension task. The critical items for the comprehension task consisted of object/subject garden paths (e.g., While Anna dressed the baby that was small and cute played in the crib), and participants answered a comprehension question (e.g., Did Anna dress the baby?) following each one. Previous studies have shown that garden-path misinterpretations tend to persist into final interpretations. Results showed that both intelligence and processing speed interacted with ambiguity. Individuals with higher intelligence and faster processing were more likely to answer the comprehension questions correctly and, specifically, following ambiguous as opposed to unambiguous sentences. Inhibition produced a marginal effect, but the variance in inhibition was largely shared with intelligence. Conclusions focus on the role of individual differences in cognitive ability and their impact on syntactic ambiguity resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joel T Nigg
- b Department of Psychiatry , Oregon Health and Science University , Portland , OR , USA
| | - Fernanda Ferreira
- c Department of Psychology , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
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222
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A simultaneous examination of two forms of working memory training: Evidence for near transfer only. Mem Cognit 2016; 44:1014-37. [DOI: 10.3758/s13421-016-0616-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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223
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Nouwens S, Groen MA, Verhoeven L. How storage and executive functions contribute to children's reading comprehension. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2015.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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224
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Marschark M, Sarchet T, Trani A. Effects of Hearing Status and Sign Language Use on Working Memory. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2016; 21:148-155. [PMID: 26755684 PMCID: PMC4886321 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/env070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Deaf individuals have been found to score lower than hearing individuals across a variety of memory tasks involving both verbal and nonverbal stimuli, particularly those requiring retention of serial order. Deaf individuals who are native signers, meanwhile, have been found to score higher on visual-spatial memory tasks than on verbal-sequential tasks and higher on some visual-spatial tasks than hearing nonsigners. However, hearing status and preferred language modality (signed or spoken) frequently are confounded in such studies. That situation is resolved in the present study by including deaf students who use spoken language and sign language interpreting students (hearing signers) as well as deaf signers and hearing nonsigners. Three complex memory span tasks revealed overall advantages for hearing signers and nonsigners over both deaf signers and deaf nonsigners on 2 tasks involving memory for verbal stimuli (letters). There were no differences among the groups on the task involving visual-spatial stimuli. The results are consistent with and extend recent findings concerning the effects of hearing status and language on memory and are discussed in terms of language modality, hearing status, and cognitive abilities among deaf and hearing individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Marschark
- National Technical Institute for the Deaf-Rochester Institute of Technology and
| | - Thomastine Sarchet
- National Technical Institute for the Deaf-Rochester Institute of Technology and
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225
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Farmer TA, Fine AB, Misyak JB, Christiansen MH. Reading span task performance, linguistic experience, and the processing of unexpected syntactic events. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2016; 70:413-433. [PMID: 26652283 DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2015.1131310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Accounts of individual differences in online language processing ability often focus on the explanatory utility of verbal working memory, as measured by reading span tasks. Although variability in reading span task performance likely reflects individual differences in multiple underlying traits, skills, and processes, accumulating evidence suggests that reading span scores also reflect variability in the linguistic experiences of an individual. Here, through an individual differences approach, we first demonstrate that reading span scores correlate significantly with measures of the amount of experience an individual has had with written language (gauged by measures that provide "proxy estimates" of print exposure). We then explore the relationship between reading span scores and online language processing ability. Individuals with higher reading spans demonstrated greater sensitivity to violations of statistical regularities found in natural language-as evinced by higher reading times (RTs) on the disambiguating region of garden-path sentences-relative to their lower span counterparts. This result held after statistically controlling for individual differences in a non-linguistic operation span task. Taken together, these results suggest that accounts of individual differences in sentence processing can benefit from a stronger focus on experiential factors, especially when considered in relation to variability in perceptual and learning abilities that influence the amount of benefit gleaned from such experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Farmer
- a Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences , University of Iowa , Iowa City , IA , USA.,b Department of Linguistics , University of Iowa , Iowa City , IA , USA
| | - Alex B Fine
- c Department of Psychology , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem , Israel
| | - Jennifer B Misyak
- d Behavioural Science Group, Warwick Business School , University of Warwick , Coventry , UK
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226
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Liu X, Chin J, Payne BR, Fu WT, Morrow DG, Stine-Morrow EAL. Adult age differences in information foraging in an interactive reading environment. Psychol Aging 2016; 31:211-23. [PMID: 26963481 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
When learning about a single topic in natural reading environments, readers are confronted with multiple sources varying in the type and amount of information. In this situation, readers are free to adaptively respond to the constraints of the environment (e.g., through selection of resources and time allocation for study), but there may be costs of exploring and switching between sources (e.g., disruption of attention, opportunity costs for study). From an ecological perspective, such properties of the environment are expected to influence learning strategies. In the current study, we used a novel reading paradigm to investigate age differences in the effects of information richness (i.e., sentence elaboration) and costs of switching between texts (i.e., time delay) on selection of sources and study time allocation. Consistent with the ecological view, participants progressed from less informative to more informative texts. Furthermore, increased switch cost led to a tendency to allocate more effort to easier materials and to greater persistence in reading, which in turn, led to better memory in both immediate and delayed recall. Older adults showed larger effects of switch cost, such that the age difference in delayed recall was eliminated in the high switch cost condition. Based on an ecological paradigm of reading that affords choice and self-regulation, our study provided evidence for preservation with age in the ability to adapt to changing learning environments so as to improve performance. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Liu
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Jessie Chin
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Brennan R Payne
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Wai-Tat Fu
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Daniel G Morrow
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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227
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Koornneef A, Dotlačil J, van den Broek P, Sanders T. The influence of linguistic and cognitive factors on the time course of verb-based implicit causality. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2016; 69:455-81. [DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2015.1055282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In three eye-tracking experiments the influence of the Dutch causal connective “want” ( because) and the working memory capacity of readers on the usage of verb-based implicit causality was examined. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that although a causal connective is not required to activate implicit causality information during reading, effects of implicit causality surfaced more rapidly and were more pronounced when a connective was present in the discourse than when it was absent. In addition, Experiment 3 revealed that—in contrast to previous claims—the activation of implicit causality is not a resource-consuming mental operation. Moreover, readers with higher and lower working memory capacities behaved differently in a dual-task situation. Higher span readers were more likely to use implicit causality when they had all their working memory resources at their disposal. Lower span readers showed the opposite pattern as they were more likely to use the implicit causality cue in the case of an additional working memory load. The results emphasize that both linguistic and cognitive factors mediate the impact of implicit causality on text comprehension. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of the ongoing controversies in the literature—that is, the focusing-integration debate and the debates on the source of implicit causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnout Koornneef
- Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jakub Dotlačil
- General Linguistics Department, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Center for Language and Cognition, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul van den Broek
- Department of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ted Sanders
- Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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228
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Lynn SK, Ibagon C, Bui E, Palitz SA, Simon NM, Barrett LF. Working memory capacity is associated with optimal adaptation of response bias to perceptual sensitivity in emotion perception. Emotion 2016; 16:155-63. [PMID: 26461251 PMCID: PMC5579757 DOI: 10.1037/emo0000111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Emotion perception, inferring the emotional state of another person, is a frequent judgment made under perceptual uncertainty (e.g., a scowling facial expression can indicate anger or concentration) and behavioral risk (e.g., incorrect judgment can be costly to the perceiver). Working memory capacity (WMC), the ability to maintain controlled processing in the face of competing demands, is an important component of many decisions. We investigated the association of WMC and anger perception in a task in which "angry" and "not angry" categories comprised overlapping ranges of scowl intensity, and correct and incorrect responses earned and lost points, respectively. Participants attempted to earn as many points as they could; adopting an optimal response bias would maximize decision utility. Participants with higher WMC more optimally tuned their anger perception response bias to accommodate their perceptual sensitivity (their ability to discriminate the categories) than did participants with lower WMC. Other factors that influence response bias (i.e., the relative base rate of angry vs. not angry faces and the decision costs and benefits) were ruled out as contributors to the WMC-bias relationship. Our results suggest that WMC optimizes emotion perception by contributing to perceivers' ability to adjust their response bias to account for their level of perceptual sensitivity, likely an important component of adapting emotion perception to dynamic social interactions and changing circumstances. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eric Bui
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital
| | | | - Naomi M Simon
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital
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229
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DeCaro R, Peelle JE, Grossman M, Wingfield A. The Two Sides of Sensory-Cognitive Interactions: Effects of Age, Hearing Acuity, and Working Memory Span on Sentence Comprehension. Front Psychol 2016; 7:236. [PMID: 26973557 PMCID: PMC4770018 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced hearing acuity is among the most prevalent of chronic medical conditions among older adults. An experiment is reported in which comprehension of spoken sentences was tested for older adults with good hearing acuity or with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss, and young adults with age-normal hearing. Comprehension was measured by participants’ ability to determine the agent of an action in sentences that expressed this relation with a syntactically less complex subject-relative construction or a syntactically more complex object-relative construction. Agency determination was further challenged by inserting a prepositional phrase into sentences between the person performing an action and the action being performed. As a control, prepositional phrases of equivalent length were also inserted into sentences in a non-disruptive position. Effects on sentence comprehension of age, hearing acuity, prepositional phrase placement and sound level of stimulus presentations appeared only for comprehension of sentences with the more syntactically complex object-relative structures. Working memory as tested by reading span scores accounted for a significant amount of the variance in comprehension accuracy. Once working memory capacity and hearing acuity were taken into account, chronological age among the older adults contributed no further variance to comprehension accuracy. Results are discussed in terms of the positive and negative effects of sensory–cognitive interactions in comprehension of spoken sentences and lend support to a framework in which domain-general executive resources, notably verbal working memory, play a role in both linguistic and perceptual processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee DeCaro
- Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham MA, USA
| | - Jonathan E Peelle
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis MO, USA
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, USA
| | - Arthur Wingfield
- Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham MA, USA
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230
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Koch X, Dingemanse G, Goedegebure A, Janse E. Type of Speech Material Affects Acceptable Noise Level Test Outcome. Front Psychol 2016; 7:186. [PMID: 26952145 PMCID: PMC4767928 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The acceptable noise level (ANL) test, in which individuals indicate what level of noise they are willing to put up with while following speech, has been used to guide hearing aid fitting decisions and has been found to relate to prospective hearing aid use. Unlike objective measures of speech perception ability, ANL outcome is not related to individual hearing loss or age, but rather reflects an individual's inherent acceptance of competing noise while listening to speech. As such, the measure may predict aspects of hearing aid success. Crucially, however, recent studies have questioned its repeatability (test-retest reliability). The first question for this study was whether the inconsistent results regarding the repeatability of the ANL test may be due to differences in speech material types used in previous studies. Second, it is unclear whether meaningfulness and semantic coherence of the speech modify ANL outcome. To investigate these questions, we compared ANLs obtained with three types of materials: the International Speech Test Signal (ISTS), which is non-meaningful and semantically non-coherent by definition, passages consisting of concatenated meaningful standard audiology sentences, and longer fragments taken from conversational speech. We included conversational speech as this type of speech material is most representative of everyday listening. Additionally, we investigated whether ANL outcomes, obtained with these three different speech materials, were associated with self-reported limitations due to hearing problems and listening effort in everyday life, as assessed by a questionnaire. ANL data were collected for 57 relatively good-hearing adult participants with an age range representative for hearing aid users. Results showed that meaningfulness, but not semantic coherence of the speech material affected ANL. Less noise was accepted for the non-meaningful ISTS signal than for the meaningful speech materials. ANL repeatability was comparable across the speech materials. Furthermore, ANL was found to be associated with the outcome of a hearing-related questionnaire. This suggests that ANL may predict activity limitations for listening to speech-in-noise in everyday situations. In conclusion, more natural speech materials can be used in a clinical setting as their repeatability is not reduced compared to more standard materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xaver Koch
- Center for Language Studies, Radboud UniversityNijmegen, Netherlands
- International Max-Planck Research School for Language SciencesNijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Esther Janse
- Center for Language Studies, Radboud UniversityNijmegen, Netherlands
- Max-Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud UniversityNijmegen, Netherlands
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231
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Loosli SV, Rahm B, Unterrainer JM, Mader I, Weiller C, Kaller CP. Age differences in behavioral and neural correlates of proactive interference: Disentangling the role of overall working memory performance. Neuroimage 2016; 127:376-386. [PMID: 26707888 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Reliable performance in working memory (WM) critically depends on the ability to resist proactive interference (PI) from previously relevant WM contents. Both WM performance and PI susceptibility are subject to cognitive decline at older adult age. However, the behavioral and neural processes underlying these co-evolving developmental changes and their potential interdependencies are not yet understood. Here, we investigated PI using a recent-probes WM paradigm and functional MRI in a cross-sectional sample of younger (n=18, 10 female, 23.4 ± 2.7 years) and older adults (n=18, 10 female, 70.2 ± 2.7 years). As expected, older adults showed lower WM performance and higher PI susceptibility than younger adults. Resolution of PI activated a mainly bilateral frontal network across all participants. Significant interactions with age indicated reduced neural activation in older adults for PI resolution. A second analysis in a selection of younger and older adults (n=12 each) with matched WM performance also revealed significant differences in PI between both age groups and - on a descriptive level - again a hypo-activation of the older adults' PI network. But the differential effect of age on the neural PI effects did not reach significance in this smaller sample most likely to the reduced statistical power. However, given the highly similar patterns in both the overall and the WM-matched samples, we propose that the hypo-activation of the PI network in the older adults may not be attributable to age-related differences in overall WM performance, hence suggesting that higher PI susceptibility in older adult age does not directly depend on their lower WM performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra V Loosli
- Dept. of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Biological and Personality Psychology, Dept. of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Benjamin Rahm
- Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Josef M Unterrainer
- Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Irina Mader
- Dept. of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Cornelius Weiller
- Dept. of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; BrainLinks-BrainTools Cluster of Excellence, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph P Kaller
- Dept. of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; BrainLinks-BrainTools Cluster of Excellence, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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232
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Zhu Y, Wang R, Wang Y. A Comparative Study of the Impact of Theta-Burst and High-Frequency Stimulation on Memory Performance. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:19. [PMID: 26869903 PMCID: PMC4737909 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The transformation of the information stored in the working memory into the system of long-term memory depends on the physiological mechanism, long-term potential (LTP). In a large number of experimental studies, theta-burst stimulation (TBS) and high-frequency stimulation (HFS) are LTP induction protocols. However, they have not been adapted to the model related to memory. In this paper, the improved Camperi–Wang (C–W) model with Ca2+ subsystem-induced bi-stability was adopted, and TBS and HFS were simulated to act as the initial stimuli of this working memory model. Evaluating the influence of stimuli properties (cycle, amplitude, duty ration) on memory mechanism of the model, it is found that both TBS and HFS can be adopted to activate working memory model and produce long-term memory. Moreover, the different impacts of two types of stimuli on the formation of long-term memory were analyzed as well. Thus, the importance of this study lies firstly in describing the link and interaction between working memory and long-term memory from the quantitative view, which provides a theoretical basis for the study of neural dynamics mechanism of long-term memory formation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Zhu
- Department of Science, Institute for Cognitive Neurodynamics, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai, China
| | - Rubin Wang
- Department of Science, Institute for Cognitive Neurodynamics, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai, China
| | - Yihong Wang
- Department of Science, Institute for Cognitive Neurodynamics, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai, China
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233
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Duggirala SX, Saharan S, Raghunathan P, Mandal PK. Stimulus-dependent modulation of working memory for identity monitoring: A functional MRI study. Brain Cogn 2016; 102:55-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 12/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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234
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Savage R, Kozakewich M, Genesee F, Erdos C, Haigh C. Predicting writing development in dual language instructional contexts: exploring cross-linguistic relationships. Dev Sci 2016; 20. [PMID: 26825571 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study examined whether decoding and linguistic comprehension abilities, broadly defined by the Simple View of Reading, in grade 1 each uniquely predicted the grade 6 writing performance of English-speaking children (n = 76) who were educated bilingually in both English their first language and French, a second language. Prediction was made from (1) English to English; (2) French to French; and (3) English to French. Results showed that both decoding and linguistic comprehension scores predicted writing accuracy but rarely predicted persuasive writing. Within the linguistic comprehension cluster of tests, Formulating Sentences was a strong consistent within- and between-language predictor of writing accuracy. In practical terms, the present results indicate that early screening for later writing ability using measures of sentence formulation early in students' schooling, in their L1 or L2, can provide greatest predictive power and allow teachers to differentiate instruction in the primary grades. Theoretically, the present results argue that there are correlations between reading-related abilities and writing abilities not only within the same language but also across languages, adding to the growing body of evidence for facilitative cross-linguistic relationships between bilinguals' developing languages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Savage
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Canada
| | - Meagan Kozakewich
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Canada
| | - Fred Genesee
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Canada
| | - Caroline Erdos
- McGill University Health Centre, Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada
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235
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Abstract
It is generally agreed upon that the mechanisms underlying task switching heavily depend on working memory, yet numerous studies have failed to show a strong relationship between working memory capacity (WMC) and task-switching ability. We argue that this relationship does indeed exist but that the dependent variable used to measure task switching is problematic. To support our claim, we reanalyzed data from two studies with a new scoring procedure that combines reaction time (RT) and accuracy into a single score. The reanalysis revealed a strong relationship between task switching and WMC that was not present when RT-based switch costs were used as the dependent variable. We discuss the theoretical implications of this finding along with the potential uses and limitations of the scoring procedure we used. More broadly, we emphasize the importance of using measures that incorporate speed and accuracy in other areas of research, particularly in comparisons of subjects differing in cognitive and developmental levels.
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236
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Alesi M, Rappo G, Pepi A. Investigating the Improvement of Decoding Abilities and Working Memory in Children with Incremental or Entity Personal Conceptions of Intelligence: Two Case Reports. Front Psychol 2016; 6:1939. [PMID: 26779069 PMCID: PMC4700145 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most significant current discussions has led to the hypothesis that domain-specific training programs alone are not enough to improve reading achievement or working memory abilities. Incremental or Entity personal conceptions of intelligence may be assumed to be an important prognostic factor to overcome domain-specific deficits. Specifically, incremental students tend to be more oriented toward change and autonomy and are able to adopt more efficacious strategies. This study aims at examining the effect of personal conceptions of intelligence to strengthen the efficacy of a multidimensional intervention program in order to improve decoding abilities and working memory. Participants included two children (M age = 10 years) with developmental dyslexia and different conceptions of intelligence. The children were tested on a whole battery of reading and spelling tests commonly used in the assessment of reading disabilities in Italy. Afterwards, they were given a multimedia test to measure motivational factors such as conceptions of intelligence and achievement goals. The children took part in the T.I.R.D. Multimedia Training for the Rehabilitation of Dyslexia (Rappo and Pepi, 2010) reinforced by specific units to improve verbal working memory for 3 months. This training consisted of specific tasks to rehabilitate both visual and phonological strategies (sound blending, word segmentation, alliteration test and rhyme test, letter recognition, digraph recognition, trigraph recognition, and word recognition as samples of visual tasks) and verbal working memory (rapid words and non-words recognition). Posttest evaluations showed that the child holding the incremental theory of intelligence improved more than the child holding a static representation. On the whole this study highlights the importance of treatment programs in which both specificity of deficits and motivational factors are both taken into account. There is a need to plan multifaceted intervention programs based on a transverse approach, considering both cognitive and motivational factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Alesi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e della Formazione, Università degli Studi di Palermo Palermo, Italy
| | - Gaetano Rappo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e della Formazione, Università degli Studi di Palermo Palermo, Italy
| | - Annamaria Pepi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e della Formazione, Università degli Studi di Palermo Palermo, Italy
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237
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A meta-analysis of fMRI decoding: Quantifying influences on human visual population codes. Neuropsychologia 2016; 82:134-141. [PMID: 26801229 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Information in the human visual system is encoded in the activity of distributed populations of neurons, which in turn is reflected in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Over the last fifteen years, activity patterns underlying a variety of perceptual features and objects have been decoded from the brains of participants in fMRI scans. Through a novel multi-study meta-analysis, we have analyzed and modeled relations between decoding strength in the visual ventral stream, and stimulus and methodological variables that differ across studies. We report findings that suggest: (i) several organizational principles of the ventral stream, including a gradient of pattern granulation and an increasing abstraction of neural representations as one proceeds anteriorly; (ii) how methodological choices affect decoding strength. The data also show that studies with stronger decoding performance tend to be reported in higher-impact journals, by authors with a higher h-index. As well as revealing principles of regional processing, our results and approach can help investigators select from the thousands of design and analysis options in an empirical manner, to optimize future studies of fMRI decoding.
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238
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The Effects of Age, Priming, and Working Memory on Decision-Making. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13010119. [PMID: 26761023 PMCID: PMC4730510 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13010119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2015] [Revised: 12/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the current study, we examined the effects of priming and personality on risky decision-making while playing the Game of Dice Task (GDT). In the GDT, participants decide how risky they wish to be on each trial. In this particular study prior to playing the GDT, participants were randomly assigned to one of three priming conditions: Risk-Aversive, Risk-Seeking, or Control. In the Risk-Seeking condition, a fictional character benefitted from risky behavior while in the Risk-Aversive condition, a fictional character benefitted from exercising caution. Although not explicitly stated in the instructions, participants need to make “safe” rather than risky choices to optimize performance on the GDT. Participants were also given Daneman and Carpenter’s assessment of working memory task. Interestingly, although older adults self-reported being more cautious than younger adults on the Domain Specific Risk Attitude scale (DOSPERT), older adults made riskier decisions than younger adults on the GDT. However, after controlling for working memory, the age differences on the GDT became insignificant, indicating that working memory mediated the relation between age and risky decisions on the GDT.
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239
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Rhodes SM, Booth JN, Palmer LE, Blythe RA, Delibegovic M, Wheate NJ. Executive functions predict conceptual learning of science. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 34:261-75. [PMID: 26751597 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We examined the relationship between executive functions and both factual and conceptual learning of science, specifically chemistry, in early adolescence. Sixty-three pupils in their second year of secondary school (aged 12-13 years) participated. Pupils completed tasks of working memory (Spatial Working Memory), inhibition (Stop-Signal), attention set-shifting (ID/ED), and planning (Stockings of Cambridge), from the CANTAB. They also participated in a chemistry teaching session, practical, and assessment on the topic of acids and alkalis designed specifically for this study. Executive function data were related to (1) the chemistry assessment which included aspects of factual and conceptual learning and (2) a recent school science exam. Correlational analyses between executive functions and both the chemistry assessment and science grades revealed that science achievements were significantly correlated with working memory. Linear regression analysis revealed that visuospatial working memory ability was predictive of chemistry performance. Interestingly, this relationship was observed solely in relation to the conceptual learning condition of the assessment highlighting the role of executive functions in understanding and applying knowledge about what is learned within science teaching.
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240
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Abstract
Working memory refers to a system involved in the online maintenance and manipulation of information in the absence of external input. Due to the importance of working memory in higher-level cognition, a wealth of neuroscience studies has investigated its neural basis. These studies have often led to conflicting viewpoints regarding the importance of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and posterior sensory cortices. Here, we review evidence for each position. We suggest that the relative contributions of the PFC and sensory cortices to working memory can be understood with respect to processing demands. We argue that procedures that minimize processing demands lead to increased importance of sensory representations, while procedures that permit transformational processing lead to representational abstraction that relies on the PFC. We suggest that abstract PFC representations support top-down control over posterior representations while also providing bottom-up inputs into higher-level cognitive processing. Although a number of contemporary studies have studied working memory while using procedures that minimize the role of the PFC, we argue that consideration of the PFC is critical for our understanding of working memory and higher-level cognition more generally.
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241
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Kim YSG, Pilcher H. What Is Listening Comprehension and What Does It Take to Improve Listening Comprehension? LITERACY STUDIES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-31235-4_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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242
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Kim YSG. Direct and mediated effects of language and cognitive skills on comprehension of oral narrative texts (listening comprehension) for children. J Exp Child Psychol 2016; 141:101-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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243
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Marrone N, Alt M, DeDe G, Olson S, Shehorn J. Effects of Steady-State Noise on Verbal Working Memory in Young Adults. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2015; 58:1793-1804. [PMID: 26384291 PMCID: PMC4987033 DOI: 10.1044/2015_jslhr-h-14-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Revised: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We set out to examine the impact of perceptual, linguistic, and capacity demands on performance of verbal working-memory tasks. The Ease of Language Understanding model (Rönnberg et al., 2013) provides a framework for testing the dynamics of these interactions within the auditory-cognitive system. METHODS Adult native speakers of English (n = 45) participated in verbal working-memory tasks requiring processing and storage of words involving different linguistic demands (closed/open set). Capacity demand ranged from 2 to 7 words per trial. Participants performed the tasks in quiet and in speech-spectrum-shaped noise. Separate groups of participants were tested at different signal-to-noise ratios. Word-recognition measures were obtained to determine effects of noise on intelligibility. RESULTS Contrary to predictions, steady-state noise did not have an adverse effect on working-memory performance in every situation. Noise negatively influenced performance for the task with high linguistic demand. Of particular importance is the finding that the adverse effects of background noise were not confined to conditions involving declines in recognition. CONCLUSIONS Perceptual, linguistic, and cognitive demands can dynamically affect verbal working-memory performance even in a population of healthy young adults. Results suggest that researchers and clinicians need to carefully analyze task demands to understand the independent and combined auditory-cognitive factors governing performance in everyday listening situations.
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Cho E, Roberts GJ, Capin P, Roberts G, Miciak J, Vaughn S. Cognitive Attributes, Attention, and Self-Efficacy of Adequate and Inadequate Responders in a Fourth Grade Reading Intervention. LEARNING DISABILITIES RESEARCH & PRACTICE : A PUBLICATION OF THE DIVISION FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES, COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 2015; 30:159-170. [PMID: 26997755 PMCID: PMC4793275 DOI: 10.1111/ldrp.12088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We examined cognitive attributes, attention, and self-efficacy of fourth grade struggling readers who were identified as adequate responders (n = 27), inadequate responders with comprehension only deficits (n = 46), and inadequate responders with comprehension and word reading deficits (n = 52) after receiving a multicomponent reading intervention. We also included typical readers (n = 40). These four groups were compared on measures of nonverbal reasoning, working memory, verbal knowledge, listening comprehension, phonological awareness, and rapid naming as well as on teacher ratings of attention problems and self-reported self-efficacy. The two inadequate responder groups demonstrated difficulties primarily with verbal knowledge and listening comprehension compared to typical readers and adequate responders. Phonological awareness and rapid naming differentiated the two inadequate responder groups. In addition, both inadequate responder groups showed more attention problems and low self-efficacy compared to typical readers.
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Muijselaar MM, de Jong PF. The effects of updating ability and knowledge of reading strategies on reading comprehension. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Bharadwaj SV, Maricle D, Green L, Allman T. Working memory, short-term memory and reading proficiency in school-age children with cochlear implants. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2015; 79:1647-53. [PMID: 26282504 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2015.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to examine short-term memory and working memory through both visual and auditory tasks in school-age children with cochlear implants. The relationship between the performance on these cognitive skills and reading as well as language outcomes were examined in these children. METHODS Ten children between the ages of 7 and 11 years with early-onset bilateral severe-profound hearing loss participated in the study. Auditory and visual short-term memory, auditory and visual working memory subtests and verbal knowledge measures were assessed using the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV Integrated and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children II. Reading outcomes were assessed using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III. RESULTS Performance on visual short-term memory and visual working memory measures in children with cochlear implants was within the average range when compared to the normative mean. However, auditory short-term memory and auditory working memory measures were below average when compared to the normative mean. Performance was also below average on all verbal knowledge measures. Regarding reading outcomes, children with cochlear implants scored below average for listening and passage comprehension tasks and these measures were positively correlated to visual short-term memory, visual working memory and auditory short-term memory. Performance on auditory working memory subtests was not related to reading or language outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The children with cochlear implants in this study demonstrated better performance in visual (spatial) working memory and short-term memory skills than in auditory working memory and auditory short-term memory skills. Significant positive relationships were found between visual working memory and reading outcomes. The results of the study provide support for the idea that WM capacity is modality specific in children with hearing loss. Based on these findings, reading instruction that capitalizes on the strengths in visual short-term memory and working memory is suggested for young children with early-onset hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha V Bharadwaj
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Texas Woman's University, P.O. Box 425737, Denton, TX 76204, USA.
| | - Denise Maricle
- Department of Psychology & Philosophy, Texas Woman's University, USA.
| | - Laura Green
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Texas Woman's University, P.O. Box 425737, Denton, TX 76204, USA.
| | - Tamby Allman
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Texas Woman's University, P.O. Box 425737, Denton, TX 76204, USA.
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Smith SL, Pichora-Fuller MK. Associations between speech understanding and auditory and visual tests of verbal working memory: effects of linguistic complexity, task, age, and hearing loss. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1394. [PMID: 26441769 PMCID: PMC4584991 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Listeners with hearing loss commonly report having difficulty understanding speech, particularly in noisy environments. Their difficulties could be due to auditory and cognitive processing problems. Performance on speech-in-noise tests has been correlated with reading working memory span (RWMS), a measure often chosen to avoid the effects of hearing loss. If the goal is to assess the cognitive consequences of listeners’ auditory processing abilities, however, then listening working memory span (LWMS) could be a more informative measure. Some studies have examined the effects of different degrees and types of masking on working memory, but less is known about the demands placed on working memory depending on the linguistic complexity of the target speech or the task used to measure speech understanding in listeners with hearing loss. Compared to RWMS, LWMS measures using different speech targets and maskers may provide a more ecologically valid approach. To examine the contributions of RWMS and LWMS to speech understanding, we administered two working memory measures (a traditional RWMS measure and a new LWMS measure), and a battery of tests varying in the linguistic complexity of the speech materials, the presence of babble masking, and the task. Participants were a group of younger listeners with normal hearing and two groups of older listeners with hearing loss (n = 24 per group). There was a significant group difference and a wider range in performance on LWMS than on RWMS. There was a significant correlation between both working memory measures only for the oldest listeners with hearing loss. Notably, there were only few significant correlations among the working memory and speech understanding measures. These findings suggest that working memory measures reflect individual differences that are distinct from those tapped by these measures of speech understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherri L Smith
- Audiologic Rehabilitation Laboratory, Auditory Vestibular Research Enhancement Award Program, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, TN USA ; Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN USA
| | - M Kathleen Pichora-Fuller
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON Canada ; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada ; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON Canada ; Linneaus Centre HEAD, Linköping University, Linköping Sweden
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Currie NK, Cain K. Children’s inference generation: The role of vocabulary and working memory. J Exp Child Psychol 2015; 137:57-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Stine-Morrow EAL, Hussey EK, Ng S. The Potential for Literacy to Shape Lifelong Cognitive Health. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1177/2372732215600889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In light of population aging, an understanding of factors that promote lifelong cognitive resilience is urgent. There is considerable evidence that education early in the life span, which promotes the development of literacy skills, leads to cognitive health and longevity, but the ways in which activity engagement in later adulthood affects long-term cognitive health is not well understood. The literature on cognitive training focusing on ability and skill training has not only demonstrated the existence of plasticity into late life but also shows that improvements are very tightly tied to the abilities trained. The rush to apply ability training to promote cognitive health has produced a vibrant “brain training” industry that neglects the very limited evidence for transfer to significant functional outcomes. Recent evidence on the neural substrates of reading, language comprehension, and discourse processing, as well as on the lifelong effects of literacy engagement in special populations, hints that reading may well be a “whole-brain exercise” with the potential to promote cognitive health. Such findings suggest promise for education-based approaches to promote lifelong cognitive health, calling for (a) societal investment in science at the interface of education and health, in particular to understand the mechanisms through which literacy engagement affects mind, brain, and physical health through the life span, and (b) innovation in developing models of life span education.
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Tiffin-Richards SP, Schroeder S. The component processes of reading comprehension in adolescents. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2015.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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