Abstract
Many conversations in our day-to-day lives are held in noisy environments – impeding comprehension, and in groups – taxing auditory attention-switching processes. These situations are particularly challenging for older adults in cognitive and sensory decline. In noisy environments, a variety of extra-linguistic strategies are available to speakers and listeners to facilitate communication, but while models of language account for the impact of context on word choice, there has been little consideration of the impact of context on extra-linguistic behaviour. To address this issue, we investigate how the complexity of the acoustic environment and interaction situation impacts extra-linguistic conversation behaviour of older adults during face-to-face conversations. Specifically, we test whether the use of intelligibility-optimising strategies increases with complexity of the background noise (from quiet to loud, and in speech-shaped vs. babble noise), and with complexity of the conversing group (dyad vs. triad). While some communication strategies are enhanced in more complex background noise, with listeners orienting to talkers more optimally and moving closer to their partner in babble than speech-shaped noise, this is not the case with all strategies, as we find greater vocal level increases in the less complex speech-shaped noise condition. Other behaviours are enhanced in the more complex interaction situation, with listeners using more optimal head orientations, and taking longer turns when gaining the floor in triads compared to dyads. This study elucidates how different features of the conversation context impact individuals’ communication strategies, which is necessary to both develop a comprehensive cognitive model of multimodal conversation behaviour, and effectively support individuals that struggle conversing.
Highlights
In order to understand communication in everyday life, we need to investigate speaking and listening in ecologically valid (Verga & Kotz, 2019), interactive (De Jaegher, Di Paolo, & Gallagher, 2010) situations
We present results showing how conversation behaviour differs depending on the acoustic environment, by analysing the effect of noise level in triads for speech-shaped noise versus eight-talker babble
Many conversations in everyday life are in noisy environments
Summary
In order to understand communication in everyday life, we need to investigate speaking and listening in ecologically valid (Verga & Kotz, 2019), interactive (De Jaegher, Di Paolo, & Gallagher, 2010) situations. Extensive work on the use of language has shown that linguistic behaviour is affected by both the environment (Chambers, Tanenhaus, Eberhard, Filip, & Carlson, 2002) and the interaction situation (Isaacs & Clark, 1987), with theories of language-as-action acknowledging the impact of both physical and social context on speech (Clark, 1996; Irvine et al, 1992). We test whether and how people change their intelligibility-optimising extra-linguistic behaviours according to features of the physical and social context. We investigate whether intelligibility-optimising speaking and listening behaviours increase as the acoustic environment and interaction situation becomes more challenging. Intelligibility, defined as the extent to which the speaker’s signal is understood by the listener, is dependent on both linguistic and extra-linguistic behaviours (Anderson, Bard, Sotillo, Newlands, & Doherty-Sneddon, 1997; Sumby & Pollack, 1954).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
