Your IQ can affect your ability to hear speech

A new research shows that there is a connection between the level of IQ and the ability to hear conversations in crowded environments; A matter that seems surprising at first glance, but upon closer examination, it appears to be logical.

Previous studies have shown that neurodiverse people have more difficulty hearing speech in noisy environments. Accordingly, a group of researchers from the University of Washington decided to collect more data in this field.

The researchers studied 12 people with autism and 10 people with fetal syndrome, both of which are associated with difficulty hearing in noisy environments, and included people with different IQ levels. The control group included 27 neurotypical individuals who were age and gender matched with other participants.

In an experiment, the ability of volunteers to recognize the details of a conversation generated by a computer program in the presence of several voices at the same time (the so-called “cocktail party” problem) was measured. It was found that people with lower IQs found it more difficult to do this.

Bonnie Lau, an auditory neuroscientist at the University of Washington, explained: “The relationship between cognitive ability and speech perception performance transcended diagnostic categories.” He added: “This finding was observed equally in all three groups.” It is noteworthy that all the participants were evaluated for normal hearing. This suggests that difficulty hearing in noisy environments is more related to specific cognitive functions than direct ear problems.

Recognizing speech in the midst of background noise requires the ability to separate audio streams, distinguish important items, and focus on speech; A process that involves a large amount of auditory processing. In order to carry on a conversation, it is necessary to pay attention to and understand the various auditory and visual cues, while providing appropriate responses such as smiling or nodding. “All these factors increase the cognitive load of communication in noisy environments,” Lau emphasized.

This situation is named because of its resemblance to a “cocktail party”, but there are many similar examples in everyday life; Including ordering in a busy cafe, trying to focus on the teacher in a noisy classroom or getting directions on a busy city street.

The researchers acknowledged that their study was based on a relatively small sample size, but suggested that their findings could improve the experience of those who struggle in such situations, beyond just performing hearing tests, such as by seating some students closer to the front of the classroom.

Past studies have provided solutions to deal with this particular hearing problem and linked it to dementia. But the main result of this recent research is that it is necessary to go beyond the idea that hearing problems always have the same causes.

“If it’s hard to hear in a restaurant or any other really difficult situation, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a hearing problem,” Lau concluded.