Abstract
A natural auditory scene often contains sound moving at varying velocities. Using a velocity contrast paradigm, we compared sensitivity to velocity changes between continuous and discontinuous trajectories. Subjects compared the velocities of two stimulus intervals that moved along a single trajectory, with and without a 1 second inter stimulus interval (ISI). We found thresholds were threefold larger for velocity increases in the instantaneous velocity change condition, as compared to instantaneous velocity decreases or thresholds for the delayed velocity transition condition. This result cannot be explained by the current static “snapshot” model of auditory motion perception and suggest a continuous process where the percept of velocity is influenced by previous history of stimulation.
Highlights
A natural auditory scene often contains sound moving at varying velocities
We found thresholds were threefold larger for velocity increases in the instantaneous velocity change condition, as compared to instantaneous velocity decreases or thresholds for the delayed velocity transition condition
This result cannot be explained by the current static “snapshot” model of auditory motion perception and suggest a continuous process where the percept of velocity is influenced by previous history of stimulation
Summary
A step change in velocity was presented during a single sound movement, instead of two temporally and spatially distinct moving sounds with constant velocities This allowed us to examine the sensitivity to the magnitude of change and compare the direction of change (increase or decrease). Our results showed a significantly impaired performance in the continuous condition, but only for increases in velocity: the just noticeable differences (JNDs) were more than three times larger compared to the comparable discontinuous condition and five times larger than those reported previously[8] This finding is not consistent with the currently received view of auditory motion perception and suggests a more continuous process where the instantaneous percept of velocity is significantly influenced by the previous history of stimulation
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