Frequency discrimination of complex signals, frequency selectivity, and speech perception in hearing-impaired subjects.

Abstract

Frequency discrimination of spectral envelopes of complex stimuli, frequency selectivity measured with psychophysical tuning curves, and speech perception were determined in hearing-impaired subjects each having a relatively flat, sensory-neural loss. Both the frequency discrimination and speech perception measures were obtained in quiet and noise. Most of these subjects showed abnormal susceptibility to ambient noise with regard to speech perception. Frequency discrimination in quiet and frequency selectivity did not correlate significantly. At low signal-to-noise ratios, frequency discrimination correlated significantly with frequency selectivity. Speech perception in noise correlated significantly with frequency selectivity and with frequency discrimination at low signal-to-noise ratios. The frequency discrimination data are discussed in terms of an excitation-pattern model. However, they neither support nor refute the model.