Evaluating whether increment detection at mid-to-high pedestal frequencies is consistent with cochlear compression

Abstract

The ability of the auditory system to encode the amplitude fluctuations of a signal is important for processing complex stimuli, such as speech. A study by Florentine [Florentine et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 81, 1528–1541 (1987)] measured intensity discrimination for multiple frequencies as a function of stimulus level. They observed that, for high frequency stimuli, difference limens were poorer at mid levels than at higher or lower levels. This mid-level “hump” is consistent with cochlear compression and suggests that compression may limit the intensity resolution of the auditory system under certain circumstances. To test the generalizability of this interpretation, the current study measured increment detection for conditions associated with the mid-level hump, based on the assumption that increment detection and intensity discrimination are determined by similar physiological processes. This study is part of a larger series of experiments in our laboratory that test whether intensity perception is con...