Intentional switching of auditory selective attention: Studies on dynamic binaural hearing in complex acoustic environments

目前的合作项目(医学声学和认知心理学)的主题是探索听觉选择性注意背后的认知控制机制。在第一个项目阶段，我们成功地建立了一个新的实验反应时(RT)范式，使我们能够系统地检验选择性注意的认知转移(“重构”)。最相关的实验变化与听觉目标选择标准的切换(与重复)有关，因此我们可以评估RT切换成本作为注意力控制灵活性的衡量标准。第二个项目期的目的是研究在技术方面增加听觉场景复杂性的变量(考虑到房间声学和头部运动的动态双耳听力)以及影响认知处理效率的变量的影响。重要的技术问题指的是房间声学、噪声和参与者在听觉场景中头部运动的影响。在第一个项目阶段，我们通过使用双耳再现技术向逼真、自然的听觉场景迈出了重要的一步。然而，在日常生活中，房间声学和外界噪声的好坏会影响听觉处理(如定位性能和语音理解)，因此是真实声学场景中的重要因素。使用包括更多噪声源的模拟房间，我们试图建立进一步的技术步骤，以达到复杂性和似是而非的目的。一个重要的特点是通过考虑参与者的头部运动来动态适应声学场景。重要的心理问题是指决定注意力转换准备能力和影响准备效率的因素(例如，引导注意力的线索类型)。此外，听觉刺激的类型和复杂性(例如，持续时间)、所需的反应以及任务特定的目标分类是将在单独的一系列实验中探索的因素。最后，我们还将考察在选择性听力中注意控制灵活性的年龄相关障碍。更好地理解年龄相关性选择性听力成绩下降的认知机制以及技术和环境影响的调节机制是基础科学的重要目标。从长远来看，所获得的知识也将为设计更实用的措施来提高复杂听觉场景中的选择性听力提供输入。

The topic of the present collaborative project (Medical Acoustics and Cognitive Psychology) is the exploration of cognitive control mechanisms underlying auditory selective attention. In the first project period, we have successfully established a novel experimental reaction-time (RT) paradigm that allows us to examine systematically the cognitive shifting ("reconfiguration") of selective attention. The most relevant experimental variation pertains to the switch (vs. repetition) of the criteria for auditory target selection, so that we can assess RT switch costs as a measure of the flexibility of attentional control. The aim of the second project period is to examine the influence of variables that increase the complexity of the auditory scene with respect to technical aspects (dynamic binaural hearing with consideration of room acoustics and head movements) and that influence the efficiency of cognitive processing. Important technical question refer to the influence of room acoustics, noise, and head movements of participants in auditory scenes.In the first project period we have made an important step towards realistic, natural auditory scenes by using binaural reproduction techniques. However, in daily life, good or bad room acoustics and extraneous noise affect auditory processing (e.g., localization performance and speech comprehension) and are thus important factors in realistic acoustic scenes. Using simulated rooms including further sources of noise, we seek to establish a further technical step towards complexity and plausibility. One important feature is the dynamic adaptation of the acoustic scene by considering head movements of participants. Important psychological questions refer to the factors that determine the ability to prepare for a switch in attention and that affect the efficiency of preparation (e.g., type of cue to direct attention). Furthermore, type and complexity (e.g., duration) of auditory stimuli, required responses as well as task-specific target classification are factors that will be explored in separate series of experiments.Finally, we will also examine age-related impairments in the flexibility of attentional control in selective listening. A better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying age-related performance decline in selective listening and of the modulation by technical and environmental influences represents an important goal of basic science. In the longer term, the achieved knowledge will give also input for designing more applied measures for improving selective listening in complex auditory scenes.