Why is it generally harder for individuals older than 70 to understand audible speech?
A) Hearing loss, which is nearly universal in this age group, explains the major difficulties.
B) There are so many redundant cues in speech that it confuses older listeners.
C) Since their own muscles are slowed down, they stop understanding visual cues to lip-read.
D) The processing of temporal auditory information can be impaired in older adults even when frequencies are reliably heard at low volumes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The processing of temporal auditory information can be impaired in older adults even when frequencies are reliably heard at low volumes. This can make it harder for them to understand speech, even if they can hear the individual sounds clearly. While hearing loss is common in this age group, it is not the only factor contributing to difficulties in understanding speech. The other two options (B and C) are not supported by current research.

Why Is It Generally Harder for Individuals Older Than 70