Abstract

Effortful speech perception poses cognitive and physiological demands, particularly for individuals with varying levels of hearing acuity. This study investigates psycho-physiological responses during effortful speech perception tasks and explores how hearing acuity influences these responses. Participants (N = XX) with diverse hearing profiles underwent speech perception tasks designed to vary in cognitive load and perceptual difficulty. Psycho-physiological measures, including heart rate variability (HRV), electrodermal activity (EDA), and subjective self-assessments of perceived effort and cognitive fatigue, were collected during task performance. Preliminary findings reveal distinct patterns of psycho-physiological responses based on participants' hearing acuity levels. Participants with poorer hearing acuity exhibited heightened physiological arousal, characterized by decreased HRV and increased EDA, during tasks requiring greater cognitive effort for speech perception. Conversely, individuals with better hearing acuity showed more regulated autonomic responses and lower subjective reports of effort and fatigue.

These results suggest that hearing acuity influences both cognitive load during speech perception tasks and associated psycho-physiological responses. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing personalized interventions and assistive technologies aimed at optimizing communication outcomes for individuals with hearing impairments. Future research should further explore the relationship between hearing acuity, cognitive load, and psychophysiological responses across different speech perception conditions and in real-world communication settings. By elucidating these mechanisms, researchers can advance strategies to enhance speech perception efficiency and communication efficacy for individuals with varying degrees of hearing loss. This abstract outlines the study's focus on psycho-physiological responses during effortful speech perception tasks and underscores the influence of hearing acuity on cognitive load and physiological arousal, highlighting implications for assistive technology and personalized interventions in communication sciences.