title: Cognition and speech-in-noise recognition: the role of proactive interference.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complex working memory (WM) span tasks have been shown to predict speech-in-noise (SIN) recognition. Studies of complex WM span tasks suggest that, rather than indexing a single cognitive process, performance on such tasks may be governed by separate cognitive subprocesses embedded within WM. Previous research has suggested that one such subprocess indexed by WM tasks is proactive interference (PI), which refers to difficulties memorizing current information because of interference from previously stored long-term memory representations for similar information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate phonological PI and to examine the relationship between PI (semantic and phonological) and SIN perception.
  
  
  METHODS
  A within-subjects experimental design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  An opportunity sample of 24 young listeners with normal hearing was recruited.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures of resistance to, and release from, semantic and phonological PI were calculated alongside the signal-to-noise ratio required to identify 50% of keywords correctly in a SIN recognition task. The data were analyzed using t-tests and correlations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence of release from and resistance to semantic interference was observed. These measures correlated significantly with SIN recognition. Limited evidence of phonological PI was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that capacity to resist semantic PI can be used to predict SIN recognition scores in young listeners with normal hearing. On the basis of these findings, future research will focus on investigating whether tests of PI can be used in the treatment and/or rehabilitation of hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rachel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jerker
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rönnberg
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio