Informational masking in word‐length auditory patterns

Abstract

Extremely imprecise resolution of the components of word‐length tonal sequences, under conditions of high stimulus uncertainty, has led us to reconsider an earlier conclusion about the effective level of the components of such patterns. Watson and Spiegel [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 58, S84 (1975)] reported that temporal masking of individual components of the tonal patterns used in their experiments amounted to no more than 15–20 dB. The sensation levels of the 75 dB SPL components of their patterns were therefore estimated to be at least 40–50 dB, which provided no explanation for extremely poor temporal, spectral, and intensive resolution of those components. We now realize that an erroneous conclusion was made in that experiment, since resolution measured under high stimulus uncertainty was compared to detection thresholds measured in a minimal‐uncertainty procedure. When component thresholds are measured under conditions of minimal, intermediate, and high stimulus uncertainty, the sensation levels of 75‐dB SPL components range from 50 to −5 dB, values consistent with listener's resolution of the same components. [Work supported by a Biomedical Research Development Grant from NIH.]