Jerker Rönnberg1, Emil Holmer1, Mary Rudner1. 1. a Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning , Linnaeus Centre HEAD, The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The current update of the Ease of Language Understanding (ELU) model evaluates the predictive and postdictive aspects of speech understanding and communication. DESIGN: The aspects scrutinised concern: (1) Signal distortion and working memory capacity (WMC), (2) WMC and early attention mechanisms, (3) WMC and use of phonological and semantic information, (4) hearing loss, WMC and long-term memory (LTM), (5) WMC and effort, and (6) the ELU model and sign language. Study Samples: Relevant literature based on own or others' data was used. RESULTS: Expectations 1-4 are supported whereas 5-6 are constrained by conceptual issues and empirical data. Further strands of research were addressed, focussing on WMC and contextual use, and on WMC deployment in relation to hearing status. A wider discussion of task demands, concerning, for example, inference-making and priming, is also introduced and related to the overarching ELU functions of prediction and postdiction. Finally, some new concepts and models that have been inspired by the ELU-framework are presented and discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The ELU model has been productive in generating empirical predictions/expectations, the majority of which have been confirmed. Nevertheless, new insights and boundary conditions need to be experimentally tested to further shape the model.
OBJECTIVE: The current update of the Ease of Language Understanding (ELU) model evaluates the predictive and postdictive aspects of speech understanding and communication. DESIGN: The aspects scrutinised concern: (1) Signal distortion and working memory capacity (WMC), (2) WMC and early attention mechanisms, (3) WMC and use of phonological and semantic information, (4) hearing loss, WMC and long-term memory (LTM), (5) WMC and effort, and (6) the ELU model and sign language. Study Samples: Relevant literature based on own or others' data was used. RESULTS: Expectations 1-4 are supported whereas 5-6 are constrained by conceptual issues and empirical data. Further strands of research were addressed, focussing on WMC and contextual use, and on WMC deployment in relation to hearing status. A wider discussion of task demands, concerning, for example, inference-making and priming, is also introduced and related to the overarching ELU functions of prediction and postdiction. Finally, some new concepts and models that have been inspired by the ELU-framework are presented and discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The ELU model has been productive in generating empirical predictions/expectations, the majority of which have been confirmed. Nevertheless, new insights and boundary conditions need to be experimentally tested to further shape the model.
Entities:
Keywords:
Cognition; age-related hearing loss; dementia; ease of language understanding; effort; hearing impairment; speech in noise; working memory
Authors: Terrin N Tamati; Kara J Vasil; William G Kronenberger; David B Pisoni; Aaron C Moberly; Christin Ray Journal: Otol Neurotol Date: 2021-03-01 Impact factor: 2.619