Abstract:

A model of spoken language understanding capable of accounting for data at the level of the individual should include: (1) a functional architecture and its processes; (2) specifications of how experience and development affect the architecture and its processes; and (3) knowledge about the range of variability that can be observed for the components of the system. Within this framework, individual differences are hypothesized to arise from the interaction of experience and biologically specified abilities. These individual differences result in systematic variation of performance in experimental tasks that can be identified with specific locations in the functional architecture and/or subprocesses. Taking into account variation due to individual differences, a model also should scale across normal and impaired populations. Evidence suggestive of the utility of this approach for understanding/predicting the performance of individuals will be presented from studies of speechreading, tactile-aid use, and cochlear-implant recipients. [This work was supported by NIH Grants DC-00695 and DC-02107.]