Abstract

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 inferior frontal gyrus and posterior middle temporal gyrus, which subserve bottom-up processing in comprehension, and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, which mediates top-down processing. A Rasch model reliability analysis showed that listeners were homogeneous in their listening ability. Additionally, there were no significant differences in test scores across test methods and genders. The fNIRS data, however, revealed significantly different activation of the investigated brain regions across test methods, genders, and listening abilities. Together, these findings indicated that the listening test was not sensitive to differences in the neurocognitive processes underlying listening comprehension under test conditions. The implications of these findings for assessing listening and suggestions for future research are discussed.

摘要

这是第一项调查测试方法（听时表现和听后表现）和性别对测试条件下测得的听力能力和大脑激活的影响的研究。功能性近红外光谱 (fNIRS) 用于检查与听力理解相关的三个大脑区域：额下回和颞中后回，促进理解中的自下而上处理，以及背内侧前额叶皮层，介导自上而下加工。Rasch 模型可靠性分析表明，听众的听力能力是同质的。此外，不同测试方法和性别的测试分数没有显着差异。然而，fNIRS 数据显示，不同测试方法对所研究的大脑区域的激活存在显着差异，性别和听力能力。总之，这些发现表明听力测试对测试条件下听力理解的神经认知过程的差异不敏感。讨论了这些发现对评估听力的影响以及对未来研究的建议。