Static and dynamic multitalker listening – the contribution of different types of attention

Typical of daily listening are situations in which several talkers speak simultaneously. These situations can be "static" when the aim is selectively attending to one talker, or "dynamic" when the talker of interest changes in a potentially unpredictable way.

In these situations, different types of attention play a role. On the one hand, it may be important to selectively focus on one talker and ignore the competing background voices. On the other hand, temporarily dividing and switching attention may also be necessary.

The aim of this project is to investigate attention mechanisms in static and dynamic multitalker listening conditions. Specifically, the results of young and older listeners will be presented and related to the outcome of neuropsychological tests on executive functions and working memory. An attempt is made to disentangle the different attention types and to describe dimensions that might be particularly problematic in older listeners.

Supported by grants of the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (DFG ME 2751/3-1).