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Bonath Thesis FINAL 04-29-16.pdf (378.94 KB)
ETD Abstract Container
Abstract Header
The Effects of Cognitive Load on the Perception of Foreign-Accented Words
Author Info
Bonath, Leah M.
ORCID® Identifier
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8903-2495
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1461938923
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2016, Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, College of Sciences and Health Professions.
Abstract
A significant amount of the research conducted in the area of foreign-accented speech has examined the influence that intelligibility, comprehensibility, and strength of accent have on the perception of foreign-accented speech. Factors such as speaking rate, signal-to-noise ratio, number of talkers, familiarity with the foreign-accent and, most relevant to the present study, cognitive load all play a role in how accented speech is perceived. In the current study, we explored the inverse of this relationship. We hypothesized that degree of cognitive load would affect participants’ accent ratings. The purpose of this research was to evaluate two competing hypotheses. According to a difficulty-based account, increases in cognitive load should lead to increased accent ratings, such that both native and non-native accents are rated stronger. According to an alternative resource-based account, increases in cognitive load should push accent ratings toward more neutral ratings, such that native accents are rated stronger and non-native accents are rated weaker, as there will be fewer available resources to attend to the accent-rating task. Results showed that cognitive load led to significantly weaker ratings of the foreign-accented speakers, as predicted by the alternative resource-based account. However, the influence of cognitive load only emerged in a high cognitive load condition, and cognitive load had no significant effects on the native-accented speakers. In addition to a number of potential practical implications for accented speakers, our results have important theoretical implications for the perception of foreign-accented speech and for the relationships between language and accent perception.
Committee
Conor McLennan, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Albert Smith, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Eric Allard, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Andrew Slifkin, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Subject Headings
Psychology
Keywords
foreign accents
;
cognitive load
;
accent ratings
;
perception
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Citations
Bonath, L. M. (2016).
The Effects of Cognitive Load on the Perception of Foreign-Accented Words
[Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1461938923
APA Style (7th edition)
Bonath, Leah.
The Effects of Cognitive Load on the Perception of Foreign-Accented Words.
2016. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1461938923.
MLA Style (8th edition)
Bonath, Leah. "The Effects of Cognitive Load on the Perception of Foreign-Accented Words." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1461938923
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
csu1461938923
Download Count:
382
Copyright Info
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.