Predictive Processing and Inhibitory Control Drive Semantic Enhancements for Non-Dominant Language Word Recognition in Noise

Auditory word recognition in the non-dominant language has been suggested to break down under noisy conditions due, part, difficulty of deriving a benefit from contextually constraining information. However, previous studies examining effects sentence constraints on noise have conflated multiple psycholinguistic processes umbrella term “predictability”. The present study improves these by narrowing its focus specifically prediction processes, and whether possibility using semantic constraint predict an upcoming target for different listener populations conditions. We find that heritage, but not second language, Spanish listeners derive recognition-in-noise predictive processing, benefits more processing energetic, rather than informational, masking. latter suggests managing interference competing speech generating predictions about draw same cognitive resources. An analysis individual differences shows better inhibitory control ability is associated with reduced disruption dominant particular, revealing critical role executive function simultaneously expectations words.