Fig. 2.

Paradigms classically used to assess attentional filtering for speech signals. In the shadowing paradigm (A), separate streams of speech are presented concurrently to the 2 ears, and participants repeat each word from that ear as soon as it is presented. In the selective listening paradigm (B), 1 syllable or word is presented to each ear on a given trial, and participants are required to report the syllable from 1 of the 2 ears. In the short-term memory distraction paradigm (C), a sequence of letters and digits is spoken by a female voice on each trial, and participants are required to repeat back these items at the end of the trial, ignoring anything spoken by a male voice.