Does Working Memory Enhance or Interfere With Speech Fluency in Adults Who Do and Do Not Stutter? Evidence From a Dual-Task Paradigm

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi Eichorn ◽  
Klara Marton ◽  
Richard G. Schwartz ◽  
Robert D. Melara ◽  
Steven Pirutinsky
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Clinical Intervention ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Speech Fluency ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
Speaking Task

Purpose The present study examined whether engaging working memory in a secondary task benefits speech fluency. Effects of dual-task conditions on speech fluency, rate, and errors were examined with respect to predictions derived from three related theoretical accounts of disfluencies. Method Nineteen adults who stutter and twenty adults who do not stutter participated in the study. All participants completed 2 baseline tasks: a continuous-speaking task and a working-memory (WM) task involving manipulations of domain, load, and interstimulus interval. In the dual-task portion of the experiment, participants simultaneously performed the speaking task with each unique combination of WM conditions. Results All speakers showed similar fluency benefits and decrements in WM accuracy as a result of dual-task conditions. Fluency effects were specific to atypical forms of disfluency and were comparable across WM-task manipulations. Changes in fluency were accompanied by reductions in speaking rate but not by corresponding changes in overt errors. Conclusions Findings suggest that WM contributes to disfluencies regardless of stuttering status and that engaging WM resources while speaking enhances fluency. Further research is needed to verify the cognitive mechanism involved in this effect and to determine how these findings can best inform clinical intervention.

scholarly journals Selection in working memory is resource-demanding: Concurrent task effects on the retro-cue effect

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin-ting Lin ◽  
Edyta Sasin ◽  
Daryl Fougnie
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Task Effects ◽  
Selection Processes ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm ◽  
Tone Discrimination ◽  
Dual Task Interference ◽  
Potential Issue

AbstractIn a retro-cue paradigm, after memorizing a set of objects, people are cued to remember only a subset. Improved memory from the retro-cue suggests that selection processes can benefit items stored in working memory. Does selection in working memory require attention? If so, an attention-demanding task should disrupt retro-cue effects. Studies using a dual-task paradigm have found mixed results, with only one study (Janczyk & Berryhill, Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 76 (3), 715–724, 2014) showing a decreased retro-cue effect by a secondary task. Here we explore a potential issue in that study – the temporal overlap of the secondary task response with the memory test presentation. This raises questions about whether the secondary task was impairing selection processes in memory or was impacting the memory response. We replicated their paradigm by inserting a tone discrimination task at the retro-cue offset, but we also included a condition in which the tone task and the memory test were temporally separated. In Experiment 1, performing the tone task did not impair the retro-cue effect. In Experiment 2, we added an articulatory suppression task as in Janczyk and Berryhill’s study, and we found that the requirement to execute the tone task impaired retro-cue effects. This impairment was independent of whether the tone and memory tasks overlapped. These findings suggest that internal prioritization can be impaired by dual-task interference, but may only occur when such interference is robust enough, for example, due to switching between multiple tasks.

The art of planning ahead: when do we prepare for the future and when is it effective? (under review)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Huijser ◽  
Niels Anne Taatgen ◽  
Marieke K. van Vugt
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Task Preparation ◽  
Memory Integration ◽  
The Future ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm ◽  
Consistent Support

Preparing for the future during ongoing activities is an essential skill. Yet, it is currently unclear to what extent we can prepare for the future in parallel with another task. In two experiments, we investigated how characteristics of a present task influenced whether and when participants prepared for the future, as well as its usefulness. We focused on the influence of concurrent working memory load, assuming that working memory would interfere most strongly with preparation. In both experiments, participants performed a novel sequential dual-task paradigm, in which they could voluntary prepare for a second task while performing a first task. We identified task preparation by means of eye tracking, through detecting when participants switched their gaze from the first to the second task. The results showed that participants prepared productively, as evidenced by faster RTs on the second task, with only a small cost to the present task. The probability of preparation and its productiveness decreased with general increases in present task difficulty. In contrast to our prediction, we found some but no consistent support for influence of concurrent working memory load on preparation. Only for concurrent high working memory load (i.e., two items in memory), we observed strong interference with preparation. We conclude that preparation is affected by present task difficulty, potentially due to decreased opportunities for preparation and changes in multitasking strategy. Furthermore, the interference from holding two items may reflect that concurrent preparation is compromised when working memory integration is required by both processes.

Effects of a secondary task and working memory load on multisensory hand position

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (0) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Katrina Quinn ◽  
Francia Acosta-Saltos ◽  
Jan W. de Fockert ◽  
Charles Spence ◽  
Andrew J. Bremner
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Hand Position ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
Relative Weighting

Information about where our hands are arises from different sensory modalities; chiefly proprioception and vision. These inputs differ in variability from situation to situation (or task to task). According to the idea of ‘optimal integration’, the information provided by different sources is combined in proportion to their relative reliabilities, thus maximizing the reliability of the combined estimate. It is uncertain whether optimal multisensory integration of multisensory contributions to limb position requires executive resources. If so, then it should be possible to observe effects of secondary task performance and/or working memory load (WML) on the relative weighting of the senses under conditions of crossmodal sensory conflict. Alternatively, an integrated signal may be affected by upstream influences of WML or a secondary task on the reliabilities of the individual sensory inputs. We examine these possibilities in two experiments which examine effects of WML on reaching tasks in which bisensory visual-proprioceptive (Exp. 1), and unisensory proprioceptive (Exp. 2) cues to hand position are provided. WML increased visual capture under conditions of visual-proprioceptive conflict, regardless of the direction of visual-proprioceptive conflict, and the degree of load imposed. This indicates that task-switching (rather than WML load) leads to an increased reliance on visual information regardless of its task-specific reliability (Exp. 1). This could not be explained due to an increase in the variability of proprioception under secondary working memory task conditions (Exp. 2). We conclude that executive resources are involved in the relative weighting of visual and proprioceptive cues to hand position.

scholarly journals A Mobile Device Dual-Task Paradigm for the Assessment of mTBI

2019 ◽  
Vol 184 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 174-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M Linder ◽  
Mandy Miller Koop ◽  
Sarah Ozinga ◽  
Zachary Goldfarb ◽  
Jay L Alberts
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Device ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Postural Stability ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Number Discrimination ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Task Conditions

Abstract Research Objective Dual-task performance, in which individuals complete two or more activities simultaneously, is impaired following mild traumatic brain injury. The aim of this project was to develop a dual-task paradigm that may be conducive to military utilization in evaluating cognitive-motor function in a standardized and scalable manner by leveraging mobile device technology. Methods Fifty healthy young adult civilians (18–24 years) completed four balance stances and a number discrimination task under single- and dual-task conditions. Postural stability was quantified using data gathered from iPad’s native accelerometer and gyroscope. Cognitive task difficulty was manipulated by presenting stimuli at 30, 60, or 90 per minute. Performance of cognitive and balance tasks was compared between single- and dual-task trials. Results Cognitive performance from single- to dual-task paradigms showed no significant main effect of balance condition or the interaction of condition by frequency. From single- to dual-task conditions, a significant difference in postural control was revealed in only one stance: tandem with eyes closed, in which a slight improvement in postural stability was observed under dual-task conditions. Conclusion The optimal dual-task paradigm to evaluate cognitive-motor performance with minimal floor and ceiling effects consists of tandem stance with eyes closed while stimuli are presented at a rate of one per second.

Influência da demanda atencional e instrução no teste levantar, caminhar e sentar

1970 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno R. Leite ◽  
Sandra R. Alouche ◽  
Jéssica P. Estevam ◽  
Samara M. Abdouni ◽  
Sandra M.S.F. Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Dual Task ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Lateral Side ◽  
Movement Variability ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
External Focus ◽  
Concurrent Tasks ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm

Abstract: The activities of standing, walking and sitting performed in association with other tasks (e.g., holding an object) are very common in our everyday lives. The performance of these concurrent tasks may require greater attentional demand. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the performance of young healthy adults on the "Timed Up and Go" (TUG) test on the dual task paradigm. Twelve young adults performed the TUG test in four conditions: a) no secondary task; b) with a task of holding a tube with both hands without defined attentional focus; c) holding the tube with internal attentional focus (i.e., minimize the hands motion); and, d) holding the tube with external attentional focus (i.e., minimize the movement of a light from a laser pointer fixed to the tube which reflected on a target placed on the wall). A digital chronometer was used to record the time taken to complete the tests. The time spent in the conditions with secundary task relative to the original TUG test was also analyzed. The movement variability of the tube was assessed by recording the kinematics of markers placed on the lateral side of the tube. Analyses of variance were used to compare the total and relative time and tube variability across conditions. More time was necessary to complete the TUG test when specific instruction about the secondary task was given, mainly when related to the movement of the tube (external focus). However, the variability of the tube was also smallest in that condition. Therefore, the addition of a secondary task (holding a tube) affects the performance of TUG only when specific instructions on the attentional focus are given in particular about external effects of the secondary task.Key Words: Time up and Go test, dual task, attentional focus, secondary tasks.

Working memory impairments in multiple sclerosis: Evidence from a dual-task paradigm.

1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D'Esposito ◽  
Kris Onishi ◽  
Heidi Thompson ◽  
Keith Robinson ◽  
Carol Armstrong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Memory Impairments ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm

Channel Capacity and Locus of Interference under Dual Task Conditions

1978 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 659-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wade R. Helm ◽  
Robert P. Fishburne ◽  
Wayne L. Waag
Keyword(s):  
Dual Task ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Processing System ◽  
Processing Capacity ◽  
Joint Function ◽  
Maximum Information ◽  
Attention Effect ◽  
Task Processing ◽  
Task Conditions

Two experiments were performed in order to determine subjects' maximum information-processing capacity under dual task conditions and to provide empirical evidence regarding the localization of the divided attention effect. The results suggest that performance on the primary task deteriorates as a joint function of both primary and secondary task processing loads. These data support the locus of interference being within the control-processing (memory-dependent) and response-selection stages of the processing system.

A Dual-Task Paradigm to Study the Interference Reduction in the Simon Task

2015 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Suarez ◽  
Franck Vidal ◽  
Boris Burle ◽  
Laurence Casini
Keyword(s):  
Dual Task ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Response Speed ◽  
Exact Nature ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
Task Conditions

Analyzing RT distributions in the Simon task reveals that congruency effects decrease for the longest RTs. Four experiments were carried out to examine whether this decrease of the congruency effect with response speed was under a top-down control or due to bottom-up mechanisms. We specifically manipulated the availability of attentional resources by requiring participants to perform a Simon task concurrently to different secondary tasks. RT distribution analysis (in particular delta functions) was performed under both single-task and dual-task conditions. Results show that the reduction of the interference effect with time could be affected when the Simon task was performed concurrently with a secondary task. Nonetheless, the type of the secondary task seems to be a critical factor. Therefore, the data suggest that the mechanisms responsible for the reduction of the interference effect with time are under some attentional control but the exact nature of these mechanisms remains to be explored.

The Psychophysics of Workload — A Second Look at the Relationship between Subjective Measures and Performance

1985 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 640-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Gopher ◽  
Nella Chillag ◽  
Nira Arzi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Performance Indices ◽  
Subjective Measures ◽  
Second Look ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Main Determinants ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
The Relationship

Load estimates based upon subjective and performance indices were compared for subjects performing size matching and letter typing tasks under 6 levels of priorities, in single and dual task conditions. Each half of the group used a different task as reference in their subjecitve judgement. The results are interpreted to indicate that subjective measures are especially sensitive to voluntary allocation of attention and to the load on working memory. Association with performance is expected whenever these two factors are main determinants of peformance efficiency, otherwise the two are likely to dissociate.

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