Dichotic perception refers to the perceptions that occur when different sounds are presented to each ear. Dichotic testing is almost universally performed on children being assessed for reported listening difficulties, and these children very often score outside the normal range on dichotic tests. Children with low dichotic test scores also often have below-average attention and/or memory abilities. Very little is known, however, about WHY these children so often fall outside the normal range of dichotic scores. Training on dichotic perception is increasingly being offered clinically, and frequently improves dichotic test scores. Again, however, virtually nothing is known about the effects of training on perceptual mechanisms (e.g. interhemispheric transfer of signals, or segregation of simultaneously present sounds), real life listening ability, or on the attention and memory skills needed to perform well on the clinical dichotic tests. There is, consequently, a gulf between clinical practice and evidence, with clinical practice being based on largely untested assumptions about the nature of dichotic perception, in each of testing, remediation, and real life listening situations. This project addresses that gulf in evidence by identifying the underlying reasons for poor scores on dichotic tests and the impact that training has on these underlying abilities. Amongst other methods, the research will take advantage of, a little-used concept in dichotic tests, in which single sounds are presented to each ear, and the performance measure is the inter-ear level difference needed for the stimulus in one ear to just mask the identity of the stimulus in the other ear. The use of single words or nonsense syllables as target items greatly reduces the impact of working memory on test scores. Performance on this test will be compared to conventional dichotic test performance, and to cognitive abilities thought to affect dichotic test performance. Measures of real-life speech perception will also be obtained. Children will be randomly assigned to receive training on just one of the potential underlying areas of deficit. After training, performance on the complete battery will be remeasured. This design will, for the first time, enable cause and effect relationships to be established between these abilities that are already known to be associated. The results will have strong implications for clinical practice.
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/antje.heinrich.html
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/harvey.dillon.html
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/kevin.j.munro.html
Entry Requirements
Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain a First or Upper Second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science, engineering or technology.
How to Apply
To be considered for this project you MUST submit a formal online application form - full details on how to apply can be found on the MRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) website www.manchester.ac.uk/mrcdtpstudentships
Applicants interested in this project should make direct contact with the Primary Supervisor to arrange to discuss the project further as soon as possible.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/equality-diversity-inclusion/
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