The influence of memory on the results of dichotic listening

Abstract

Background. The paper presents the review of the research devoted to functional asymmetry of auditory perception in dichotic listening. The practical application problem of dichotic listening for researching other cognitive functions (attention, executive functions) is considered. The influence of different variables on the results of dichotic listening is analyzed. Particular attention is paid to memory, as it can ‘distort’ the indices of functional asymmetry of auditory perception.

The Objective is to study the influence of memory on the results of dichotic listening.

Progress Report. 4 variants of word dichotic listening test were used, in which variables determining the degree of memory influence on the result (the instruction and the number of dichotic pairs in series) is ranged. Laterality index (LI), accuracy scores: total (AS), right-ear (RAS), left-ear (LAS); efficiency score (ES) were calculated. The research involved 80 healthy people aged 18 to 63 years divided randomly into 4 groups of 20 people, and 7 patients with blood stroke aged 25 to 75 years.

Research Results. It was shown that the wording of the instructions (participants were instructed to report all the words they had heard or the words they had heard most clearly) does not have any influence on the results of dichotic listening, the number of dichotic pairs in series (1 or 4) has an influence (comparing by LI U=227 , р<0,05; by AS U=0, р<0,05; by RAS U=2, p<0,05; by LAS U=0, р<0,05; by ES U=174,5, р<0,05). When the variant with 1 dichotic pair in series was presented, high accuracy scores and high efficiency score were noted; laterality index was approaching zero. This variant cannot be used to assess the functional asymmetry of auditory perception in healthy people and in participants who suffered a stroke.

Conclusion. In order to control the influence of memory on the results of dichotic listening can be used modified variant with 1 dichotic pair in series. But it is necessary to increase the complexity of the task that is offered to the participants. The authors consider that the presentation of fused words is possible. The stimuli presented to different auditory channels simultaneously should merge into a single perception unit.