This study examined interference between three non-speech tasks and concurrent speech performance. The non-speech activity consisted of computer-based mathematical, language, and visuospatial tasks. The speech tasks included a procedural discourse monologue and a conversation. Participants included 60 adults in two age groups with 30 participants each. The younger adults were aged from 18 to 30 years and older adults from 55 to 82 years. Each participant completed the non-speech tasks in isolation, the speech tasks in isolation, and then each of the speech tasks concurrently with each of the three non-speech tasks. Speech acoustic measures included the mean and standard deviation of intensity and fundamental frequency as indicators of prosody, speaking time ratio to reflect speaking versus pausing time, and speech rate. Non-speech measures included total responses, correct responses, and accuracy. Statistical analysis revealed significant divided attention effects on speech, with increases in fundamental frequency and decreases in speaking time ratio, speech rate, and intensity. Performance on all non-speech tasks was negatively impacted by speech, as there was a significant decrease in total responses and total correct responses overall. There was a significant age effect for intensity and fundamental frequency variability, in that the younger group had less prosodic variation compared to the older group. The present findings provide some evidence that the effects of divided attention increase with age, as older adults gave fewer responses than younger adults overall. However, results indicate older adults prioritize accuracy over speed compared to younger adults. These findings suggest that bidirectional interference occurs between speech and mathematical, language, and visuospatial tasks. The results expand what is known about bidirectional interference between speech and other concurrent tasks, as well as the effects of age on divided attention.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BGMYU2/oai:scholarsarchive.byu.edu:etd-11121 |
| Date | 11 August 2023 |
| Creators | Thomas, Chanelle |
| Publisher | BYU ScholarsArchive |
| Source Sets | Brigham Young University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/ |
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