Cognition counts: A working memory system for ease of language understanding (ELU)

TLDR

The ELU model proposes a general working memory system that supports language comprehension by integrating explicit and implicit cognitive processes. The study aims to refine the ELU model by examining its language generality, mismatch, age, and RAMBPHO components. The ELU model relies on long‑term phonological representations, lexical access speed, and explicit processing resources, with mismatch signals triggering explicit attention, and is evaluated across speech, sign language, hearing aids, age, and RAMBPHO.

Abstract

A general working memory system for ease of language understanding (ELU, Rönnberg, Citation) is presented. The purpose of the system is to describe and predict the dynamic interplay between explicit and implicit cognitive functions, especially in conditions of poorly perceived or poorly specified linguistic signals. In relation to speech understanding, the system based on (1) the quality and precision of phonological representations in long-term memory, (2) phonologically mediated lexical access speed, and (3) explicit, storage, and processing resources. If there is a mismatch between phonological information extracted from the speech signal and the phonological information represented in long-term memory, the system is assumed to produce a mismatch signal that invokes explicit processing resources. In the present paper, we focus on four aspects of the model which have led to the current, updated version: the language generality assumption; the mismatch assumption; chronological age; and the episodic buffer function of rapid, automatic multimodal binding of phonology (RAMBPHO). We evaluate the language generality assumption in relation to sign language and speech, and the mismatch assumption in relation to signal processing in hearing aids. Further, we discuss the effects of chronological age and the implications of RAMBPHO.