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The Influence of Memory Load, Speech-to-Noise Ratio, and Stimulus Rehearsal on the Pupil Dilation Response: Implications for the Assessment of Listening Effort.

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Title: The Influence of Memory Load, Speech-to-Noise Ratio, and Stimulus Rehearsal on the Pupil Dilation Response: Implications for the Assessment of Listening Effort.
Authors: Zekveld, Adriana A.1,2 aa.zekveld@amsterdamumc.nl, Visser, Veerle W.1, Kramer, Sophia E.1,2, Sangers, Jorn1,2, Smitsb, Cas2,3
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. May2026, Vol. 69 Issue 5, p2339-2354. 16p.
Subject Terms: *Data analysis, *Intelligibility of speech, *Audiometry, *Experimental design, *Memory, *Auditory perception, Statistical power analysis, Effect sizes (Statistics), Noise, Task performance, Reflexes, Paired comparisons (Mathematics), Auditory acuity, Maximum likelihood statistics, Descriptive statistics, Statistics, Hearing levels, Confidence intervals, Data analysis software, Regression analysis
Abstract: Purpose: Pupillometry has been frequently used to examine the influence of auditory task demand on listening effort. However, the intelligibility effect on the pupil dilation response might be altered under high memory load. Method: We assessed the effects of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR; auditory demand), memory load, and stimulus rehearsal on the pupil dilation response. Twenty-four participants with normal hearing were included (Mage = 22 years, 16 women). Sequences of four or six digits were presented in stationary noise at two auditory demand levels. For either 20% or 80% of the trials, digits were rehearsed. Participants rated listening effort, task difficulty, performance, and tendency to give up. Results: Linear mixed-model analyses indicated that intelligibility was higher for four digits compared to six digits and for lower auditory demand compared to higher auditory demand. The mean pupil dilation was larger for lower auditory demand during listening. In the repetition interval, the peak and mean pupil dilations were larger for lower auditory demand compared to higher auditory demand, for six digits compared to four digits, and for 80% compared to 20% stimulus rehearsal. Subjective listening effort and task difficulty were higher for higher auditory demand than for lower auditory demand and for six digits than for four digits. A lower auditory demand also resulted in higher performance ratings and lower tendency to give up compared to higher auditory demand. Conclusions: The established decrease in the pupil dilation response with decreasing auditory demand (higher SNR) can be altered in tasks with relatively high memory demands. It is important to consider the memory demands imposed by the listening task when assessing the pupil dilation response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: The Influence of Memory Load, Speech-to-Noise Ratio, and Stimulus Rehearsal on the Pupil Dilation Response: Implications for the Assessment of Listening Effort.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zekveld%2C+Adriana+A%2E%22">Zekveld, Adriana A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><i> aa.zekveld@amsterdamumc.nl</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Visser%2C+Veerle+W%2E%22">Visser, Veerle W.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kramer%2C+Sophia+E%2E%22">Kramer, Sophia E.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sangers%2C+Jorn%22">Sangers, Jorn</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smitsb%2C+Cas%22">Smitsb, Cas</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 69 Issue 5, p2339-2354. 16p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligibility+of+speech%22">Intelligibility of speech</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Audiometry%22">Audiometry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experimental+design%22">Experimental design</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+perception%22">Auditory perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+power+analysis%22">Statistical power analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Effect+sizes+%28Statistics%29%22">Effect sizes (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Noise%22">Noise</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+performance%22">Task performance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reflexes%22">Reflexes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Paired+comparisons+%28Mathematics%29%22">Paired comparisons (Mathematics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+acuity%22">Auditory acuity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Maximum+likelihood+statistics%22">Maximum likelihood statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing+levels%22">Hearing levels</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Regression+analysis%22">Regression analysis</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Pupillometry has been frequently used to examine the influence of auditory task demand on listening effort. However, the intelligibility effect on the pupil dilation response might be altered under high memory load. Method: We assessed the effects of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR; auditory demand), memory load, and stimulus rehearsal on the pupil dilation response. Twenty-four participants with normal hearing were included (Mage = 22 years, 16 women). Sequences of four or six digits were presented in stationary noise at two auditory demand levels. For either 20% or 80% of the trials, digits were rehearsed. Participants rated listening effort, task difficulty, performance, and tendency to give up. Results: Linear mixed-model analyses indicated that intelligibility was higher for four digits compared to six digits and for lower auditory demand compared to higher auditory demand. The mean pupil dilation was larger for lower auditory demand during listening. In the repetition interval, the peak and mean pupil dilations were larger for lower auditory demand compared to higher auditory demand, for six digits compared to four digits, and for 80% compared to 20% stimulus rehearsal. Subjective listening effort and task difficulty were higher for higher auditory demand than for lower auditory demand and for six digits than for four digits. A lower auditory demand also resulted in higher performance ratings and lower tendency to give up compared to higher auditory demand. Conclusions: The established decrease in the pupil dilation response with decreasing auditory demand (higher SNR) can be altered in tasks with relatively high memory demands. It is important to consider the memory demands imposed by the listening task when assessing the pupil dilation response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00164
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intelligibility of speech
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Audiometry
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      – SubjectFull: Experimental design
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      – SubjectFull: Memory
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      – SubjectFull: Auditory perception
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      – SubjectFull: Noise
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      – SubjectFull: Task performance
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      – SubjectFull: Auditory acuity
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Regression analysis
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      – TitleFull: The Influence of Memory Load, Speech-to-Noise Ratio, and Stimulus Rehearsal on the Pupil Dilation Response: Implications for the Assessment of Listening Effort.
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              Text: May2026
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