The Contributions of Audibility and Cognitive Factors to the Benefit Provided by Amplified Speech to Older Adults

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (07) ◽  
pp. 590-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry E. Humes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Speech Understanding ◽  
Indiana University ◽  
Sensation Level ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Third ◽  
Basic Approaches

In this review of recent studies from our laboratory at Indiana University, it is argued that audibility is the primary contributor to the speech-understanding difficulties of older adults in unaided listening, but that other factors, especially cognitive factors, emerge when the role of audibility has been minimized. The advantages and disadvantages of three basic approaches used in our laboratory to minimize the role of audibility are examined. The first of these made use of clinical fits of personal amplification devices, but generally failed to make the aided speech stimuli sufficiently audible for the listeners. As a result, hearing loss remained the predominant predictor of performance. The second approach made use of raised and spectrally shaped stimuli with identical shaping applied for all listeners. The third approach used spectrally shaped speech that ensured audibility (at least 10 dB sensation level) of the stimuli up to at least 4000 Hz for each individual listener. With few exceptions, the importance of cognitive factors was revealed once the speech stimuli were made sufficiently audible. En esta revisión de estudios recientes de nuestro laboratorio en la Universidad de Indiana, se argumenta que la audibilidad es el factor primario que contribuye en las dificultades para el entendimiento del lenguaje en adultos mayores, bajo condiciones no amplificadas de escucha, pero que existen otros factores, especialmente cognitivos, que emergen cuando el papel de la audibilidad ha sido minimizado. Se examinan las ventajas y desventajas de los tres enfoques básicos utilizados en nuestro laboratorio para minimizar el papel de la audibilidad. El primero de estos hace uso de los ajustes clínicos en dispositivos personales de amplificación, pero que fallaron en convertir los estímulos amplificados de lenguaje en algo suficientemente audible para el sujeto. Como resultado, la hipoacusia continuó siendo el factor de predicción predominante en el desempeño. El segundo enfoque hizo uso de estímulos aumentados y moldeados espectralmente, con un moldeado idéntico para todos los sujetos. El tercer enfoque utilizó lenguaje moldeado espectralmente que aseguraba la audibilidad del estímulo (al menos a 10 dB de nivel de sensación) hasta al menos 4000 Hz para cada sujeto individual. Con pocas excepciones, la importancia de los factores cognitivos se reveló una vez que los estímulos de lenguaje habían sido hechos suficientemente audibles.

scholarly journals The Role of Cognitive Factors in Old Age Balance Impairments

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Sensory System ◽  
T Test ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Mobility Assessment ◽  
Task Training ◽  
Dual Task Training

The ability of human beings to perform more than one task at a time has long been focus of study in the literature on human attention and memory. Older adults are more penalized when they must divide their attention between two input resources i.e input and holding or holding and responding. Falls have potentially devastating physical, social and psychological consequences. Falling is one of the most serious problems associated with ageing. Sensory system deteriorates with age, increased attention is allocated to “HIGHTEN” the signal coming from this system in order to gain necessary information for postural control. Older adults show marked reduction in the ability to perform the postural and cognitive task simultaneously. A study was conducted by physiotherapy and psychology students in a small town of Haryana on institutionalized older adults in which Dual task training under various sets of instruction that is Fixed priority and Variable priority instruction sets effects the balance who are living in residential care facilities. Tinneti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) and Mini mental status examination were used as tools to assess balance and cognitive abilities. Various studies related to the role of cognitive factors in balance impairments were reviewed. Data was analyzed using SPSS 13.0 software packages and paired sample t –test within the group and independent sample t – test between the groups with p – value at a significance level of p < 0.05 was used. The result of the study supported the hypothesis that there is significant improvement in balance of institutionalized elderly people who received dual task training with variable priority instruction set. (p < 0.001). The use of validated measurement tool like Tinnetti performance oriented mobility assessment on balance allowed clearer interpretation of the results. There is improvement in TPOMA Scores after 4 weeks training program in both groups. This shows that cognitive factors do play an important role in maintaining balance and coordination. Any impairment related to sensory system or cognition leads to balance impairments and increased risk for falls.

Experiences of Older Adults who Stopped Driving Because of their Visual Impairments: Part 3

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 701-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Penny Rosenblum ◽  
Anne L. Corn
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Third

This is the third in a series that describes the experiences of 162 adults, age 60 and older, who stopped driving due to a visual impairment. The participants responded to open-ended questions concerning the advantages and disadvantages of stopping driving, strategies they used in obtaining rides, and advice they would offer to adults who are about to stop driving. Participants spoke about the need to be proactive nondrivers.

Understanding the Speech-Understanding Problems of Older Adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry E. Humes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Speech Understanding ◽  
Reported Data

Purpose The purpose of this article was to review recent research from our laboratory on the speech-understanding problems of older adults. Method The method involved a narrative review of previously reported data from our laboratory. Conclusion To date, the results from most of our studies have indicated that peripheral and cognitive factors are the primary contributors to the speech-understanding problems of older adults, with the relative mix of these 2 factors changing for unaided (primarily peripheral) and aided (primarily cognitive) listening conditions.

scholarly journals Classifications of atmospheric circulation

Geografie ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-323
Author(s):  
Jan Stryhal ◽  
Radan Huth
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
Synoptic Climatology ◽  
Climate Modelling ◽  
Classification Methods ◽  
The Third ◽  
Circulation Patterns ◽  
Basic Approaches ◽  
Automated Methods ◽  
Manual Classification

The goal of the present article is to provide a brief overview of the development and usage of classifications of atmospheric circulation, particularly classifications of circulation patterns. In the first section, the motivation to conduct research into atmospheric circulation and the role of classifications in this research are discussed. In addition, basic approaches to classification are described. In the second section, manual classification methods are introduced; the focus is on those methods that have been widely used in the Czech literature – the synoptic catalogues of Brádka and Hess-Brezowsky. To our knowledge, such an overview has not been published yet. In the third section, the development of automated methods is described and the most commonly used methods are briefly introduced. We conclude with an overview of one of the fastest developing fields in synoptic climatology – the application of circulation classifications to climate modelling.

scholarly journals Understanding of An ‘Enlightened Planning’ Approach In Project Risk Management

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianlin Yang
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Phase Structure ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Project Risk ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Third ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Planning Approach ◽  
Project Lifecycle

Abstract This article explains the execution and delivery progression phases of the project lifecycle. It is the third phase of the project lifecycle that leads to the final realization of the project's goals. However, this essay will describe the understanding of the ‘enlightened planning’ approach during the execution and delivery strategy progress of a project’s lifecycle. The features and details in the Enlightened Planning and PMI PMBOK Guide are compared. The author explored the nature and role of basic frameworks such as the project lifecycle, the process phase structure, and key project definition questions — the seven Ws (Who, Why, What, Which way, Wherewithal, When, Where). Combining Enlightened Planning and PMI PMBOK Guide, the differences between the two approaches are given. In addition, the author elaborated the advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches in current practice.

scholarly journals Reframing Best alternatives to negotiated agreements in Representative Negotiations in Sports

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (4s) ◽  
pp. 144-152
Author(s):  
Hristina Dobreva
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Negotiated Agreements ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Third ◽  
Mutual Gain ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Negotiation Style ◽  
Principled Negotiation

The paper starts with differentiating between the positional and interest-based negotiation styles for reaching the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). It outlines the main problems of positional bargaining and the role of agents in representative negotiations in sports. The paper aims at specifying negotiation styles and tactics/games that could produce optimal win-win solutions in sports. It focuses on the need of tactical flexibility, timing, collaboration, issue-linkage and leverage creation that could possibly reframe BATNAs for reaching mutual gain agreements and optimal win-win solutions. The paper aims is to propose solutions for reaching agreements in representative negotiations in sports. The methodology’s starting point is BATNA. The analytical framework includes both choosing the appropriate negotiation style (positional or interest-based) and tactics (negotiation games) to end up with a given strategy. Principled negotiation and mutual gain approach are suggested as solutions. The results of the analysis could be summarized in four categories. The first is the importance of considering the specifics of sports negotiations, especially the advantages and disadvantages of using agents as representatives. Here short versus long-term interests have to be weighed. The second is the advancement of issue linkages, creative alternatives for win-win solutions, leverage and appropriate bargaining style. The third is the focus on the process of reframing BATNAS as a process of evaluating alternatives, seeking leverage but maintaining credibility and flexibility. The fourth is the application of the mutual gain approach to expand the frontier of possibilities. Here the most important is the brainstorming session and the concept of the next best solution.

The Role of Implicit and Explicit Feedback in Learning and the Implications for Distance Education Techniques

2014 ◽  
pp. 367-384
Author(s):  
Jurjen van der Helden ◽  
Harold Bekkering
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Cognitive Mechanisms ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Implicit And Explicit ◽  
Explicit Feedback

In this chapter, the authors review the cognitive scientific state-of-the-art relevant for Distance Education (DE) followed by an overview of how different aspects of Distance Education relate to such cognitive mechanisms. The goal is to list and categorize the cognitive advantages and disadvantages of DE and consider and discuss how cognitive factors can be negotiated in new developments in DE. The authors argue that modern DE provides excellent opportunities to supplement traditional DE by the providing of contingent feedback while meeting the learner's need to stay intrinsically motivated.

scholarly journals Reduced Listener-speaker Neural Coupling Underlies Speech Understanding Difficulty in Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
lanfang liu ◽  
Xiaowei Ding ◽  
Hehui Li ◽  
Qi Zhou ◽  
Dingguo Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Speech Comprehension ◽  
Speech Understanding ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Audio Recordings ◽  
Neural Coupling ◽  
The Brain

Abstract An increasing number of studies have highlighted the importance of listener-speaker neural coupling in successful verbal communication. Whether the brain-to-brain coupling changes with healthy aging and the possible role of this change in the speech comprehension of older adults remain unexplored. In this study, we scanned with fMRI a young and an older speaker telling real-life stories, and then played the audio recordings to a group of young (N = 28, aged 19-27y) and a group of older adults during scanning (N = 27, aged 53-75y), respectively. The older listeners understood the speech less well than did the young listeners, and the age of the older listeners was negatively correlated with their level of speech understanding. Compared to the young listener-speaker dyads, the older dyads exhibited reduced neural couplings in both linguistic and extra-linguistic areas. Moreover, within the older group, the listener’s age was negatively correlated with the overall strength of interbrain coupling, which in turn was associated with reduced speech understanding. These results reveal the deficits of older adults in achieving neural alignment with other brains, which may underlie the age-related decline in speech understanding.

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