We investigated whether increased perceptual processing difficulty during reading or listening to a Sherlock Holmes novella impacts mind wandering as well as text comprehension. We presented 175 participants with a novella in either a visual or an auditory presentation format and probed their thoughts and motivational states from time to time…

This is the first study to investigate the effects of test methods (while-listening performance and post-listening performance) and gender on measured listening ability and brain activation under test conditions. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to examine three brain regions associated with listening comprehension: the…

Speech is a complex, redundant and variable signal happening in a noisy and ever changing world. How do listeners navigate these complex auditory scenes and continuously and effortlessly understand most of the speakers around them? Studies show that listeners can quickly adapt to new situations, accents and even to distorted speech. Although prior…

Multilingual speakers can find speech recognition in everyday environments like restaurants and open-plan offices particularly challenging. In a world where speaking multiple languages is increasingly common, effective clinical and educational interventions will require a better understanding of how factors like multilingual contexts and…

Stable individual differences in cognitive motivation (i.e., the tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive activities) have been documented with self-report measures, yet convergent support for a trait-level construct is still lacking. In the present study, we used an innovative decision-making paradigm (COG-ED) to quantify the costs of…

Ageing is associated with elevated pure-tone thresholds, accompanied by increased difficulties in understanding speech-in-noise. While amplification provides important, but insufficient support, auditory-cognitive training (ACT) might propose a solution. However, generalized effects have been scarce, highlighting the necessity of training designs…

This study investigated the effects of four subtitle modes on the listening comprehension of TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks and academic vocabulary learning of intermediate (non-English major) and advanced (English major) English as foreign language (EFL) learners. A total of 272 Chinese college sophomore students were randomly…

Purpose: We explore a new approach to the study of cognitive effort involved in listening to speech by measuring the brain activity in a listener in relation to the brain activity in a speaker. We hypothesize that the strength of this brain-to-brain synchrony (coupling) reflects the magnitude of cognitive effort involved in verbal communication…

College students enrolled in a reading support course were asked to (a) read a short text, (b) listen to a second text, and (c) read + listen to a third text and answer multiple-choice comprehension questions about each text. Each condition employed a self-study format allowing for constant availability of text input and extra time to revisit text…

Holding learners' attention is challenging, especially when they are asked to listen to long passages. High-immersion virtual reality (VR) can immerse learners in listening tasks, even in such complex languages as Chinese. This exploratory study examined the effect of VR on 43 Chinese language learners' listening comprehension, enjoyment, sense of…

The current study investigated L2-based assumptions of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and Cognitive Load Theory for the multimedia, modality, and redundancy principles. In this non-equivalent groups quasi-experimental design study, four groups of Turkish-speaking teacher trainees of the English language received a 12-minute non-paced…

Metacognition has emerged as one of the most preeminent constructs of cognitive research. The core premise of embracing metacognition lies in its underlying potential to regulate, monitor, and plan the process of learning. Metacognitively aware learners empower their zealous in their pursuits of exhibiting more accomplished performance and guide…

Purpose: Pupillary responses captured via pupillometry (measurement of pupillary dilation and constriction during the performance of a cognitive task) are psychophysiological indicators of cognitive effort, attention, arousal, and resource engagement. Pupillometry may be a promising tool for enhancing our understanding of the relationship between…

Usage-based Phonology proposes that language users' knowledge is stored in the form of exemplars reflecting experience of language usage. Exemplars encompass all visual and auditory information perceived during a language interaction, but few studies have examined the role that visual information plays. This dissertation addresses this question…

Adhering to the notion that there is a correlation between the listening strategies used by L2 learners as ESL learners and their listening comprehension, this paper explores that relationship. Likewise, the study aims at investigating and identifying the listening strategies and listening comprehension among L2 or second language learners.…